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Kim Fenske's 'American Gothic -- Wellness Benefits'
Summit County attainable wellness account benefits and Summit County attainable housing are similar. Neither is attainable for most county employees.
Prior to this year, Summit County provided a $750 reimbursement account annually for employee heath costs. This year, the county introduced an attainable reimbursement account based on four criteria: smoking, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (BP) and cholesterol level (LDL). The standards require an employee meet rising standards until 2012, when the award of up to $750 is attained by: not smoking, BMI 24.9, BP 120/80 and LDL 140.
Six months ago, I recognized that I was unfit for the Summit County wellness standards. I only hiked 10 miles a week, with an average ascent from 9,000 to 12,000 feet, and commuted 16 miles by bicycle two days a week. The result was a BMI of 25 and variable BP. I increased my work-outs to average more than two hours of moderate exercise per day, commuting 16 miles by bicycle four days a week and continuing to hike at least 10 miles per week. I dropped 15 percent of my body weight.
On examination day, I was handed the guidelines by Maxim Health Systems. The reference used for the standards were listed: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsed a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9; American Heard Association endorsed BP of less that 120/80 and LDL of less than 129 (11 milligrams less than the generous county standard for 2012); and World Heath Organization endorsed boy fat of 21 percent.
Under the first standard, I earned the base amount of $250 for showing up for a health screening and being a non-smoker. After six moths of diet adjustment and fairly intense training, a caliper test gave me a body fat measurement of 10 percent, but the electronic impedance device registered at 22 percent, a violation of the World Health Organization standard. My BMI was calculated to be 24.9 percent to award me $200.
My BP readings for the day were tricky, as usual. I measured my BP at home immediately before leaving for the screening with the same electronic device model used at the screening for a barely passing 119/74 with a pulse of 64. At the test facility, I blasted a 137/90 to fail the 2012 standard. After protesting the results and asking for a recount, the medical professional used a hand pump to register a passing grade of 109/70, a deviation error of 28 points, to win me another $100.
I now sit in breathless anticipation for a week or so to learn the results of my blood work and determine whether I earned the last $200 for cholesterol and win the wellness contest.
Since I am currently investigating the purchase of attainable housing in Summit County, I decided to calculate the wellness trade-off in terms of over-time wages. On my present wage, I am pre-approved fro a mortgage to purchase about 80 percent of a 40-year-old studio condo in Summit County. If I abandon my attempts to exercise 14 hours a week to attain the $750 wellness award provided by Summit County and am authorized to work 54 hours per week, I will gross about $17,570 more per year. On that basis, I should qualify for a mortgage to purchase an attainable two-bedroom, deed–restricted condo in Summit County by the year 2020.
Health or housing: difficult choice.
Prior to this year, Summit County provided a $750 reimbursement account annually for employee heath costs. This year, the county introduced an attainable reimbursement account based on four criteria: smoking, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (BP) and cholesterol level (LDL). The standards require an employee meet rising standards until 2012, when the award of up to $750 is attained by: not smoking, BMI 24.9, BP 120/80 and LDL 140.
Six months ago, I recognized that I was unfit for the Summit County wellness standards. I only hiked 10 miles a week, with an average ascent from 9,000 to 12,000 feet, and commuted 16 miles by bicycle two days a week. The result was a BMI of 25 and variable BP. I increased my work-outs to average more than two hours of moderate exercise per day, commuting 16 miles by bicycle four days a week and continuing to hike at least 10 miles per week. I dropped 15 percent of my body weight.
On examination day, I was handed the guidelines by Maxim Health Systems. The reference used for the standards were listed: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsed a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9; American Heard Association endorsed BP of less that 120/80 and LDL of less than 129 (11 milligrams less than the generous county standard for 2012); and World Heath Organization endorsed boy fat of 21 percent.
Under the first standard, I earned the base amount of $250 for showing up for a health screening and being a non-smoker. After six moths of diet adjustment and fairly intense training, a caliper test gave me a body fat measurement of 10 percent, but the electronic impedance device registered at 22 percent, a violation of the World Health Organization standard. My BMI was calculated to be 24.9 percent to award me $200.
My BP readings for the day were tricky, as usual. I measured my BP at home immediately before leaving for the screening with the same electronic device model used at the screening for a barely passing 119/74 with a pulse of 64. At the test facility, I blasted a 137/90 to fail the 2012 standard. After protesting the results and asking for a recount, the medical professional used a hand pump to register a passing grade of 109/70, a deviation error of 28 points, to win me another $100.
I now sit in breathless anticipation for a week or so to learn the results of my blood work and determine whether I earned the last $200 for cholesterol and win the wellness contest.
Since I am currently investigating the purchase of attainable housing in Summit County, I decided to calculate the wellness trade-off in terms of over-time wages. On my present wage, I am pre-approved fro a mortgage to purchase about 80 percent of a 40-year-old studio condo in Summit County. If I abandon my attempts to exercise 14 hours a week to attain the $750 wellness award provided by Summit County and am authorized to work 54 hours per week, I will gross about $17,570 more per year. On that basis, I should qualify for a mortgage to purchase an attainable two-bedroom, deed–restricted condo in Summit County by the year 2020.
Health or housing: difficult choice.
