How to reinforce bad behavior

I beg your indulgence. I must announce – I am a Hater! Yes, I said it. I printed it. I published it. But I don’t hate everything. I am very selective.

What is the object of my contempt? Let’s start with my unnamed, over-priced health insurance plan.

These bozos have no issue with buying me prescription drugs I do not want. And if I choose to not take these drugs, I am labeled as non-compliant and I am threatened with rate increases. If I spend money on supplements, which often cost more than meds, I do not get any reimbursement. They have no interest in providing a cash incentive for me to take care of myself.

Let’s look at fitness. One would think that it is a better business model to keep your customer’s healthier, to avoid paying claims. But I see no evidence of that. I spend over $2,000 a year for my CrossFit membership, yet my insurer’s health club reimbursement is a paltry $150. That’s right, my insurer caps gym reimbursements at $150 per year. Are you kidding me. How much money do I save them annually by being healthy? Much more than a buck and a half, I guarantee. Perhaps they read all those popular “I Hate CrossFit” and “CrossFit causes Rhabdo” articles that are so popular on people’s Facebook Newsfeeds.

Let’s look at nutrition. I’m really talking about nutrition, you know, real food, not a chemistry set in consumer-attractive packaging. By eating well, my wife and I  have each lost, and kept off over thirty pounds, for over two years. My wife and I spend over $250 a week preparing and eating whole foods. Though we get real results, my insurer provides no cash reimbursement for my groceries.

But if I subscribe to some chemically laden, caloric restriction scam, advertised on TV by some hot babe, I can get $400 back annually, as a weight control reimbursement. Under the insurer’s plan, you do not have to provide evidence of weight loss. You simply provide the receipt that you bought the “program”. Are you kidding me? They are willing to subsidize a substandard, overly processed food-like product, with unsustainable results, but NOT real food?(no offense meant to those sweet ladies, Marie Osmond and Jennifer Hudson)

Let’s discuss age. No, let’s not. Because I’m tired of my doctor telling me to “act my age”, take pills, enjoy the negative side effects, grown sedentary, grow old, get senile, slowly decay and die on some actuarial schedule. Be compliant? No, I prefer Defiant!

This is one screwed up system. No wonder most people in this country are unhealthy. Insurers, pharmaceutical companies and the political establishment incentivize bad behavior.

I am done ranting. I’m going to go eat some butter!

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