US Airways seeks to trim health costs by encouraging employee fitness

[nycbusdriver]

Planet Fitness $99 a year

Oh, God. Have you seen any of those places in New York City? There's almost a line out to the street to wait for equipment. I don't have time to spend 4 hours to get a 30 minute workout done.

You buy cheap, you get cheap.

 

[wings396]

On a side note, I have found the test results from the Wellness program to be out of line with those from other sources. A few have gone to their regular Doctor for bloodwork before and after the wellness tests, and gotten significantly lower and normal readings from the Doc. I for one don't put much faith in the assembly line testing that they do on site.

 

[WorldTraveler]

Can't speak for the other work groups, but as a pilot I send the company an update on my health once every six months and the results of an EKG once a year in the form of a first class medical certificate. All on my own dime.(Do get a tax write off for it though) If they want more than that they are out of luck.

and I suspect their program is not targeted at you since pilots do have some of the most rigorous health checkups of any American workers.
Does US not reimburse you for the cost of your pilot physicals?

On a side note, I have found the test results from the Wellness program to be out of line with those from other sources. A few have gone to their regular Doctor for bloodwork before and after the wellness tests, and gotten significantly lower and normal readings from the Doc. I for one don't put much faith in the assembly line testing that they do on site.

I'm not sure if you are talking about a specific location but if you believe that really to be the case, you should be contacting your state's health department and asking that the clinic and its equipment be examined.
not sure if they also do drug and alcohol testing but there are significant implications to having bad test results for medical/non-job reasons but even more so if there are legal issues involved.

 

[nycbusdriver]

Does US not reimburse you for the cost of your pilot physicals?

That's correct. They do NOT.

 

[UPNAWAY]

I for one don't put much faith in the assembly line testing that they do on site.

My test went through LabCorp (the exact same lab my Dr uses), not sure what you mean by assembly line test? They did BP & Weight on site, drew blood and sent it out just like almost all medical testing done anywhere. Most likely people did not fast beforehand which throws off all your #s. For me my Cholesterol was scary high prompting me to my DR and a week later his results where the same and he put me on meds immediately. I probably would not have gone to the Dr otherwise as I felt fine.

 

[wings396]

Blood results as well as BP readings off in comparison to those at the Doc. A few people were concerned about their results, and did a follow up with their Doc. All of their readings were normal, and lower that those from the wellness testing. One guy had just had a full checkup a few weeks before, and went back to see his doc to be sure. The blood work was done without fasting at the wellness site, so that would make a difference IMO. I know that they say that there are tests that can be done that way, but I'm not buying it. I have had my share of blood tests done, and never had one that didnt require fasting to check cholesterol.

 

[ggiby]

Blood results as well as BP readings off in comparison to those at the Doc. A few people were concerned about their results, and did a follow up with their Doc. All of their readings were normal, and lower that those from the wellness testing. One guy had just had a full checkup a few weeks before, and went back to see his doc to be sure. The blood work was done without fasting at the wellness site, so that would make a difference IMO. I know that they say that there are tests that can be done that way, but I'm not buying it. I have had my share of blood tests done, and never had one that didnt require fasting to check cholesterol.

Same with myself, the results looked like I was doomed. I went to my Doctor....... She laughed..... she said everything was normal for me. I will never ever do this testing with the company again...... I am very disillusioned with the service. I was reluctant any way.
The woman told me with the HIPA act they could not reveal the results to anyone. I sort of think that the Hippa thing should protect us.

But..... the results were way off, after I consulted my Primary care Doctor who has been my Dr. for many many years.

 

[wings396]

Same with myself, the results looked like I was doomed. I went to my Doctor....... She laughed..... she said everything was normal for me. I will never ever do this testing with the company again...... I am very disillusioned with the service. I was reluctant any way.
The woman told me with the HIPA act they could not reveal the results to anyone. I sort of think that the Hippa thing should protect us.

But..... the results were way off, after I consulted my Primary care Doctor who has been my Dr. for many many years.

Exactly, thanks for confirming my claims.

 

[john john]

The woman told me with the HIPA act they could not reveal the results to anyone. I sort of think that the Hippa thing should protect us.

HIPAA does come into play and do not apply when an employer attempts to obtain confidential personal healthcare information from an employee’s doctor to verify an FMLA claim or workers’ compensation claim

 

[robbedagain]

BUT i would think that the employee who is being tested should also be exempt from hippa afterall the employee is the one who is being tested so he or she should be able to know and get the results

 

[LD3]

HIPAA does come into play and do not apply when an employer attempts to obtain confidential personal healthcare information from an employee’s doctor to verify an FMLA claim or workers’ compensation claim

But the only info provided is relevant to the FMLA or OJI claim, it does not release any other health info..

 

[Kev3188]

...Unless you unwittingly authorize it...

At my airline, the way our FMLA/OJI release forms are worded, you have to specifically note that you are only authorizing a relase of info for the relevant incident(s) and dates involved, and nothing else.