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Honey/2SenatorBaas
S.W.___
ABILL
Toprovidefederalfundingtocompaniesthathaveincentivesforemployeeswhomaintainahealthyweight
asdefinedbyalicenseddoctor.
BeitenactedbytheSenateandHouseofRepresentativesoftheUnitedStatesofAmericainCongress
assembled,
SECTION1.SHORTTITLE
ThisactmaybecitedastheHealthIncentivesActof2015.
SECTION2.FINDINGS
Congressherebyfindsanddeclaresthat,
1)U.S.employersloseanestimated$164billionayearduetoobesityrelatedproblems.
2)Collectively,thepercapitacostsofobesityareashighas$16,900forobesewomenwithabodymass
index(BMI)over40(roughly100poundsoverweight)and$15,500forobesemeninthesameBMIclass.
3)Yourweightcanstronglyinfluenceyourchancesofdevelopingcardiovasculardisease,heartattack,
stroke,diabetes,cancer,arthritis,gallstones,asthma,cataracts,infertility,snoring,andsleepapnea.
4)Regularphysicalactivityandahealthydietcanloweryourbloodpressureandcholesterollevelsandcan
reducetheriskofillnessessuchastype2diabetesorheartdisease.
5)Healthyemployeesaremoreproductiveandlessexpensivethanobeseemployees.
6)Morethanonethird(34.9percentor78.6million)ofU.S.adultsareobese.
7)AUSDepartmentofLaborstudyshowedthatparticipationinaprogramaimedtocontrolbodyweight,
improvenutrition,orincreaseexerciseisassociatedwithasignificantdecreaseinBMI.
8)Participationintheprogramresultedinanoverallsignificantreductionofweight.
9)Employeeparticipationinwellnessactivitieshasapositiveshorttermimpactonanumberofhealth
behaviors,includingeatinghabitsandweightloss.
10)Ninetyonepercentofemployersbelievedtheycouldreducetheirhealthcarecostsbyinfluencing
employeestoadopthealthierlifestyles,showingawillingnesstoparticipateintheseprograms.
SECTION3.STATUTORYLANGUAGE
A)AnemployeeisconsideredashavingahealthyweightifhisorherBodyMassIndex(BMI)isbelow
25.IncaseswheretheemployeehasaBMIabove24.9duetolargeamountsofmuscle,alicenseddoctor
shallbecalledintodetermineiftheemployeesweightishealthy.Thecompanysincentivesshallbein
theformofmonetarybonuses,betterhealthcareplans,orjobperkssuchasacompanycarormoreflexible
hours.Theincentivesshallbegiventoallhealthyemployeesregardlessofjobperformance.
B)TheOfficeofDomesticFinanceshallbeinchargeofdeterminingifacompanymeetstherequirements
forfederalfundingandtheamountoffundingeachcompanyshallreceive.ThefundswillcomefromU.S.
governmenttaxrevenue,andwillbegivenattheendofeachfinancialquarter.Themaximumamountof
fundingacompanyshallreceiveperquarterisonepercentofitsquarterlyprofit.Fiftypercentofthe
fundingwillbetakenfromthemilitarybudget,andtheremainingfiftypercentshallbetakenfromfederal
welfareprograms.TheOfficeofDomesticFinanceshallnotallocatemorethantenpercentoftheUnited
Statesgovernmentstaxrevenuetothisprogram.
C)TheHealthIncentivesActof2015shallbeenactedonJanuary1,2016.Thereisnoexpirationdatefor
thisbill.