Friday, September 16, 2011

Chicago, the city of the Nanny State



Chicago, under the leadership of Comrade-Mayor Emmanuel, is mandating that it's public sector workers participate in a health program. They have been given three choices: comply, pay $50 to not participate or quit.

Shape Up or Pay Up: Emanuel


Mayor Rahm Emanuel is giving city workers an important health choice: enroll in a new wellness plan, expected to be unveiled Friday, or pay a higher premium.

The price if they don't enroll: $50 a month.

The program includes an initial screening that focuses on preventative care for asthma, heart disease and diabetes. City employees would then receive wellness training to achieve long-term health goals, including weight loss.

Smokers wouldn't be penalized, but they would be encouraged to quit. Advisers overseeing the program will monitor progress on a bimonthly basis, and those who reach their goals could see their health care premiums reduced.

"We will help you be a good steward for your health," Emanuel said Friday, "but if you choose not to, you'll pay that price and that is the price you'll have to pay."

The mayor believes the program will help cut the annual $500 million bill for health care for city employees.

"We are going to implement a citywide wellness plan for city employees," Emanuel confirmed at a recent press conference, "because health care costs for the city are being driven by 10 percent a year, and we're not seeing revenue grow that way."

Most city unions have signed on to the agreement, according to theChicago Sun-Times, except the Fraternal Order of Police, which represents more than 10,000 city employees.

The FOP says its members have different health concerns and it doesn't want members to pay higher premiums if they decide not to enroll in the program.

But Emanuel says the program is a necessary step to getting healthcare costs under control.

"You can't ask the taxpayers to pay for a healthcare problem that you can manage and do a good job," Emanuel said. "You can do that with cholesterol, you can do that through diabetes, you can do that through smoking, through heart, blood pressure. Every one of those is manageable."



http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/Shape-Up-or-Pay-Up-Emanuel-129945248.html#ixzz1Y9MhfLqJ


1 comment:

  1. This is how it begins. The Progressive agenda will require public sector employees to comply to the mandates of the city. They will now know your medical conditions that only your doctors knew before. This isn't done in order to help you but to control your actions. This not only involves you, but your spouse and your children. This is what Obamacare will be like. This is just a preliminary experiment of what is going to be implemented by one of this abomination's creator, Emmanuel.
    You keep giving away your freedoms little by little and they will eventually control you. They tell you where to live, what to eat, what you can and cannot do. Last time I checked Chicago was in the United States of America and not in Cuba, China, North Korea or Vietnam.
    This is the Progressives eventual plan for everyone both in the public and private sectors. The Obamacare laws were rammed down this country's throat by the Democrat Party against the will of the People.
    You will now have three choices; Comply, Pay $50 for yourself and $50 for your spouse each month or quit and leave this Socialist state and be free.
    Choice is yours. I pray that you make the right one for yourself and your family.

    ReplyDelete