Testing for Tobacco Use?

Howdy. As a soon to be driver this issue is my latest hurdle of stress. I have heard of using drug tests to look for tobacco users when setting up insurance. Also I have heard that under the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies will soon be able to spike premiums by as much as FIFTY percent for smokers.

Now I know this is hard to believe but I'm a casual smoker, from time to time I enjoy relaxing with tobacco but this is enough of a scare to make me kick the habit for good, my question is, what experience have you guys had with using drug tests for tobacco? My main concern is hair testing, while I haven't heard of hair tests being used, I'm concerned, since the majority of companies seem to require it these days, and I'm not sure if I'll have that 90 or so day window after quitting. Thanks guys.

 

Not much you can do about it. I don't see you quitting, higher premiums or not. If you get tested you get tested. But unless you plan on buying private insurance, I wouldn't worry about your "casual smoking" in relationship to future enrollment in a company health insurance plan. The odds of you being at a terminal when drivers are [possibly ever] screened by the insurance provider during an ongoing "healthy employees" screen are very slim.

That said, yes, employee insurance participants will be subjected to more and more of these screenings in the future. They will claim they are trying to promote better health, but in reality it's all about having an excuse to jack up premiums. Problem is, trucking operations typically have a 65%+ smoker employee rate, so their insurance carriers have come to accept this reality.

All truck drivers who fess up to drinking alcohol on DOT medical exam questionnaires, are "social drinkers" and only drink "2-3 beers a week". But, most doctors can tell if you smoke on a consistent basis by a breathing/chest sounds check

 

Haha, cut me some slack there good sir! I'm only 20, surely my casual habits dont have me doomed as a smoker, the long-term health effects were one thing but if I'm gonna get charged for it, sheesh, next thing you know they'll be monitoring your stomach for fast food. But am I correct to guess that any screens for insurance purposes would be separate from the employment screens? Besides, it seems most companies require 2-3 months of employment before benefits kick in.

 

I have never heard of tobacco tests before. Is this something new?

 

I worked for one trucking company that charged smokers more for health insurance. Once a year they would have you sign an affidavit that you had not used tobacco in the previous 12 months. If you did not sign, your health insurance costs went up to the smokers rate.

 

Been doing a bit of digging on the details, and apparently, according to the rules outlined in the ACA, "tobacco use" is defined as the use of any tobacco product, including cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, snuff, and pipe tobacco, four or more times a week within the past 6 months. (Religious or ceremonial use of tobacco is allowed, such as by Alaska natives or Native Americans).

I don't know much about health insurance, being a young person and still being covered by my parents, but how does the ACA affect employer insurance? Its a bit confusing, as I have also heard of the 12 month smoking question.

 

The ACA DEEPLY affects employer insurance policies. It has given broad allowances to employer carriers to modify rates to "penalize unwanted behavior" and reward "desired behavior" in various ways. Nothing unexpected here given government's extreme desire today to impose social engineering.

 

Well it all depends on the company to be honest. Is it possible yes! Now they actually wont be testing for "tobacco", but they can test for traces of nicotine, as it is what is found in your system that pertains to smoking or tobacco use. Now can an employer require their new hires to test for it? YES! As a matter of fact the employer, a lot of times within direct correlation to what their insurance company requires, will be the one that directly decides on what the testing company actually tests for!

See what happens is, now a days with insurance premiums are on a rise, these insurance companies will offer incentives, like a 20% deduction of the total insurance premium (exaggerated for example), if they can provide evidence that their total work force is 85% (again don't know exact numbers, just using as an example) or more compliant with a "no smoking" policy that all employees have to follow. Each employer that actually offers insurance actually pays a percentage of the premium, so lets say for you and your family your premium is $300 and your employer is on a 70/30 split for premiums. So your employer actually pays $700 a month for your insurance. Now if you get tested and "Insurance Company A" offers that employer a 20% discount if he can provide a non smoking employee base, before premium this total went down 200 each month. So now that just dropped your payment to 240 a month. That is a $720 a year savings for just the employee alone and a $1680 per year savings for the company per year/per employee.

So being able to test for it, is possible. Do companies do this? well it is very rare, but it is out there. The main problem it presents is limiting your hiring base. Some of the better empoyees, in this career, do smoke. This results in chasing away some of the best drivers because of taking away some of their freedom.

 

They already can penalize for tobacco use. It's been in place way before anybody even thought of the ACA.

 

What if you vape or chew nicotine gum?