The Bigsibling Blog

This one just kills me. And, you know it HAS to, because I haven’t posted anything here in what seems like YEARS.

The Fat Tax

In August, the Alabama State Employees’ Insurance Board approved a plan that will charge workers  an additional $25 to cover their insurance premiums, if they don’t take advantage of free health screenings available to all state employees. The program, to begin in January, will require state workers to receive medical screenings for body mass index and health problems such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity.

Critics have panned this as a "fat tax"  that unfairly punishes people for their genetic predispositions. Others argue that the measure amounts to lawful discrimination that infringes on the right of free will, much like the state’s 2004 decision to offer a discount to non-smoking employees.

Now, of course this ISN’T a fat tax. They aren’t singling out the good and jolly folks who are horizontally enhanced. But, you know, you just can’t get it through to some people.

Sheesh

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