Kicking a Bad Habit Could Pay Off.

A majority of U.S. adults say they would support employer-provided financial incentives as part of their health insurance benefits in exchange for proactively living a healthy lifestyle, according to a new Wall Street Journal Online/Harris Interactive Health-Care Poll. The survey also shows that many adults would support differences in insurance costs for those who compromise their health and safety, such as if they are overweight, do not exercise regularly, do not wear seat belts, or if they smoke or drink heavily.

Below are the results of the online survey of 2,007 U.S. adults conducted by Harris Interactive between Dec. 12 and 14, 2005 for the Wall Street Journal Online’s Health Industry Edition.

Some companies are starting to cover expenses to help their employees kick smoking and addiction problems, control their weight and health, and practice safe driving habits, in order to alleviate soaring health insurance costs. According to the poll, while majorities say they would favor employer-provided financial incentives as part of their health insurance benefits to employees who participate in various health and wellness programs, women, seniors and those with higher education and incomes appear to be the biggest proponents of these programs.

Women are more likely than men to say they would favor financial incentives to employees who join a stop-smoking program (74% vs. 68%) and join a gymnasium (62% vs. 58%).

Seniors are more likely than the overall adult population to say they would favor incentives for employees who join a stop-smoking program (77% vs. 71%), get counseling for alcohol, gambling or drug addiction (78% vs. 70%), take a course on safe driving (76% vs. 67%), and participate in an educational program to help manage a chronic medical condition like asthma, diabetes or migraine (73% vs. 66%).

Those with a postgraduate education are more likely than the overall adult population to support financial incentives for employees who join a stop-smoking program (80% vs. 71%), participate in an educational program to help manage chronic medical conditions (75% vs. 66%), join a weight reduction or weight management program (76% vs. 64%) and join a gymnasium (73% vs. 60%).

Those with incomes of $75K or over are more likely than those with incomes less than $15K to favor financial incentives for employees who join a stop-smoking program (79% vs. 60%), participate in an educational program to help manage a chronic condition like asthma, diabetes or migraine (75% vs. 60%), join a weight reduction or weight management program (74% vs. 59%), and join a gymnasium (68% vs. 48%).

Support for different insurance rates for those who compromise their health and safety

In addition, majorities of U.S. adults favor different levels of insurance premiums, co-payments or deductibles for those who smoke (63%), drink heavily (57%) or do not wear their seat belt (62%). Despite research that shows obesity and lack of exercise lead to health complications and high medical costs, pluralities say they would oppose a difference in insurance costs for those who are overweight (45%) and those who do not exercise regularly (47%).

Support for insurance rates that take these health factors into account is more likely to come from men and those with a high level of education.

Men are more likely than women to favor differences in insurance rates that are based on one’s weight (37% vs. 23%) and the inclusion of regular exercise in their daily routine (31% vs. 21%).

Those with a postgraduate education are more likely than the overall adult population to say they would favor different rates based on whether or not someone smokes (81% vs. 63%), wears a seat belt (75% vs. 62%), is overweight (42% vs. 30%), drinks heavily (68% vs. 57%), or exercises regularly (34% vs. 26%).

For more information at http://www.harrisinteractive.com/news/newsletters_wsj.asp.