news-record.com

You're a teacher grading papers during your planning period when a summons comes from the main office.

"Someone from the State Health Plan is here to see you."

It's the BMI inspector.

As an enrollee in the Standard Plan, you are subject to random testing at your work site to verify your body mass index. "Height and weight measurements will be collected to determine BMI status," State Health Plan policies warn.

Random testing? Sure. You doubt they'd waste their time weighing one of those skinny 20somethings who'd barely register on the scales.

You stand 5 feet 5 inches and -- oh, this is embarrassing -- weigh in at 182 pounds. The BMI calculator (courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) comes up with ... 30.3.

Thank goodness.

That's safely below the cutoff of 40. Hit that level (beginning July 1, 2011, when the BMI requirements go into effect) and you're removed from the Standard Plan and placed in the Basic Plan, which will cost you higher premiums. It's the price of obesity, or fat tax, for leading an unhealthy lifestyle and potentially needing more frequent and expensive medical care.

On July 1, 2012, the BMI target drops to 35.

The goal here is commendable. The State Health Plan has an interest in promoting better choices among the teachers and other state employees it covers. It also recognizes that some people are more likely to get sick or develop chronic illness. Among them are smokers and the extremely overweight. They will be excluded from the more desirable Standard Plan and pay a greater share of coverage costs.

But this approach also raises issues about fairness and even dignity. Subjecting state employees to supposedly random workplace BMI checks is potentially humiliating and triggers privacy concerns. Employees also could be tested, likely through saliva samples, for traces of nicotine to determine whether they're secret smokers.

Once starting down that road, it's hard to know where to stop. Ultimately, genetic screening could identify people who are more likely to develop certain diseases. Or a simple family history could be used to place people in various risk categories, with insurance premiums set accordingly.

If you're a teacher or employee of any state agency, you deserve good-quality, affordable health care coverage. Do you also have to submit to random inspections intended to check up on your lifestyle habits and current weight? Maybe you'd be happier with more positive strategies for encouraging healthy practices.

Let's find something better for the BMI inspector to do.