Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is investigating whether Vermeer Corporation employees were required to pay higher health-insurance premiums, lost premium discounts, or missed out on other health-plan benefits because they did not complete certain wellness-program requirements.
Publicly available benefits materials indicate that Vermeer Corporation conditions certain health-plan incentives on employees completing wellness-program activities and earning a required number of wellness points. The program reportedly incorporates biometric screenings, health-risk assessments, and other wellness activities into the point-based system used to determine eligibility for premium incentives.
These requirements may have included:
- completing a biometric screening;
- taking a health-risk assessment or medical questionnaire;
- meeting targets for blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, weight, or BMI;
- participating in health coaching or wellness activities;
- earning a required number of wellness points;
- submitting medical information by a particular deadline; or
- completing other wellness-program activities necessary to receive the full premium incentive.
Federal law places limits on how employers and health plans may use wellness programs to charge employees different amounts for health coverage. In many circumstances, employees must be given a reasonable alternative way to earn the same reward or avoid the same penalty. Employees may also be entitled to clear notice of that alternative and, after completing it, the full value of the discount or benefit.
Additional protections may apply when a wellness program requires medical examinations, disability-related questions, or information collected through health-risk assessments.
We Are Interested in Hearing From Current and Former Vermeer Corporation Employees Who:
- paid more for medical coverage because they did not complete a wellness requirement;
- lost a premium discount or wellness incentive;
- did not complete a biometric screening, health-risk assessment, or required wellness-point activities;
- were not told that an alternative was available;
- requested an alternative but were denied or delayed;
- completed an alternative but did not receive the full premium discount or incentive;
- were required to provide medical information they did not wish to disclose; or
- believe the wellness program was confusing, unfair, or difficult to complete.
You may have rights even if the additional charge appeared on your paystub as a “wellness surcharge,” “premium differential,” “non-wellness rate,” “standard premium,” or as the loss of a wellness incentive.
If you participated in Vermeer Corporation’s health plan and were affected by its wellness program, please contact Migliaccio & Rathod LLP. There is no charge to speak with us, and there is no obligation to take legal action.
If you believe you encountered these issues, we would like to hear from you. Please complete the contact form on this page, send us an email at [email protected], or give us a call at (202) 470-3520.