My employer is making a change in our medical plan such that smokers will have to pay an extra $50 per month. A person who smokes more than 6 cigars per year qualifies as a smoker. I understand the intent and even like the fundamental idea, but the specific implementation sucks.

We have to sign an Affidavit regarding our smoking status and there are stiff penalties if you are caught lying -- not that I would do that, but they make this very clear up front.

They got the "6 cigars per year" value from an insurance plan broker.

The one really interesting thing about this, is my wife (who works for the same company) is totally incensed over this (made me feel good). She does not hate my cigar smoking but she is not a fan. Her stance caught me by surprise.

This $50 increase is on top of the annual increase in our insurance (which has gone up significantly over the last three years).

It is disappointing that the real target audience (cigarette smokers) are tainting my hobby. Further, the cigarette smokers can take a smoking cessation class -- and fail to stop smoking -- and still have the $50 waived...

I really, really like my job and I really like cigars so it looks like my disposable income is going to take another hit... *sigh*
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My company is going the route of giving you $250 off your high premiums if you take a test for nicotine. /fail
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Pretty soon you'll have to bring a weekly stool sample in to work and if there's not enough fiber your premiums will go up.
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Do like me, Mikey. Keep the stogies, pony up the yearly fine, go without insurance, and pray you make it to Medicare before bad health $#!+ hits the fan . . . again. :-)
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I am going to keep the stogies, pony up the fine and keep the insurance -- because I am afraid Medicare may be even worse by the time I am eligible... :-)
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Well, I try to look on the bright side . . . I might be DEAD by the time I am eligible. :-)
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When we give up liberties to preserve life, we deserve neither.
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My employer is doing the same thing. Why not enroll in the quit for life program just like the ciggy smokers?
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I will provide fiber-filled samples. Image

Just sayin'
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Same Situation For Me, Michael. I Just Pay The Extra Fee & Don't Worry About It. I'm Still Going To Smoke Cigars, Brother!:-):-)
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This -> Further, the cigarette smokers can take a smoking cessation class -- and fail to stop smoking -- and still have the $50 waived...

We had the same thing a few years ago. The head of HR says an occasional cigar isn't treated as a true smoker. Don't know the definition of occasional, don't want to know. They also thought about testing for cotinine, but thought it was a little intrusive. You can use one of those e-cigs and still pop the cotinine test so there were too many variables to the testing. Luckily (so far) it's a med-sized, privately-owned company.

Good luck and I totally agree it sucks balls.
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If it were only that "rough"...pffffffffffftttttttttttt

Two of the major hospital networks in the city have let go somewhere around 1k nurses since the summer. My full-time/weekend position has been eliminated and cut back to part-time. My insurance will go up an additional $100/paycheck not to mention whatever sizable increase is likely to be added considering they haven't even released the 2014 rates. If my mandatory blood test returns positive for nicotine, it's then an additional $50/biweekly deduction.

As of now, my budgeted income for 2014 is 40% of what I will make in 2013.
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Sounds like you should stop buying cigars.
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6 cigars per year!? I try to stay under 6 per day.

We're getting new health insurance at my work, too, but no details yet. The current plan doesn't have a smoking penalty.
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Thankfully, as of yet (knock on wood) cigars are exempt from the cigarette tax on our policy, but it's only a matter of time. The testing for nicotine is BS in my opinion
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I decided to check out the "smoking cessation" option in order to preserve my insurance. This time of year I smoke 2-3 cigars per week -- mostly on Sunday during NFL football.

In order to alleviate my nicotine addiction from these 2-3 cigars per week the people managing the smoking cessation program have determined that I need nicotine gum on a daily basis...

I have not lied to them. I told them why (my motivation) I decided to go through the smoking cessation plan ("forced to do so to maintain my insurance premiums") and that I had not previously given serious thought to quitting cigars.

We will see how it goes...
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I have good news! Somehow I managed to not get flagged on my wellness exam!
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You coming by today to pick up cigars?
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sounds like you have a serious addiction, one in need of multiple interventions. I'll bring the smokes :-)
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Wonder what the insurance companies are going to do if the country legalizes grass in the next couple of years? It is medicinal, isn't it? :-)
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