Personal risk and employer health insurance (Whataburger employee lawsuit)

1,268 Views | 9 Replies | Last: 7 days ago by backintexas2013
Burdizzo
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9:49a, 6/20/26
AG
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/lawsuit-alleges-whataburger-discriminated-against-000600919.html

TLDR there is a proposed class action suit against Whataburger by former employees because their group insurance rates for tobacco users were about $900/year more expensive than non-tobacco users. Furthermore Whataburger failed to provide a compliant tobacco cessation program for employees who wanted insurance but didn't want to pay the tobacco surcharge.

This is the kind of stuff I complain about when people don't make economic choices related to healthcare, but they expect the larger pool of payers to cover their irresponsibility.

Quitting smoking and dipping is free. If you think $900/year [corrected] is expensive now just wait until you're 50 and being treated for emphysema, lung cancer, and heart disease.

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Urban Ag
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10:00a, 6/20/26
AG
Not sure what the right answer here is but way back in the late 80's my dad's employer gave him (and others at a certain level) 18 months to stop smoking or else. The company paid for the smokers to go through a full, regimented, program to stop.

So the issue is, the employees received healthcare at a significantly more expensive rate because they were tobacco users (I like this by the way) and at the same time the employer did not provide any type of support to quit tobacco products? Personally, I think the employer should have offered that as a benefit but don't think it's lawsuit worthy they didn't.

Agree to give them all six months of Zyn pouches and be done with it.
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backintexas2013
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10:05a, 6/20/26
AG
Love making them pay more. Of it wasn't for the body positivity gross fats maybe we could do that with fat people too. I know it's been tried but now some states are making being fat a disability
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Pinochet
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In reply to Burdizzo • 10:05a, 6/20/26
Burdizzo said:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/lawsuit-alleges-whataburger-discriminated-against-000600919.html

TLDR there is a proposed class action suit against Whataburger by former employees because their group insurance rates for tobacco users were about $900/year more expensive than non-tobacco users. Furthermore Whataburger failed to provide a compliant tobacco cessation program for employees who wanted insurance but didn't want to pay the tobacco surcharge.

This is the kind of stuff I complain about when people don't make economic choices related to healthcare, but they expect the larger pool of payers to cover their irresponsibility.

Quitting smoking and dipping is free. If you think $900/month is expensive now just wait until you're 50 and being treated for emphysema, lung cancer, and heart disease.


$900/month is expensive, but I think it was $900/year in this case?
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Burdizzo
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In reply to Pinochet • 10:09a, 6/20/26
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Pinochet said:
Burdizzo said:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/lawsuit-alleges-whataburger-discriminated-against-000600919.html

TLDR there is a proposed class action suit against Whataburger by former employees because their group insurance rates for tobacco users were about $900/year more expensive than non-tobacco users. Furthermore Whataburger failed to provide a compliant tobacco cessation program for employees who wanted insurance but didn't want to pay the tobacco surcharge.

This is the kind of stuff I complain about when people don't make economic choices related to healthcare, but they expect the larger pool of payers to cover their irresponsibility.

Quitting smoking and dipping is free. If you think $900/month is expensive now just wait until you're 50 and being treated for emphysema, lung cancer, and heart disease.


$900/month is expensive, but I think it was $900/year in this case?



To paraphrase AI "Good catch"
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B-1 83
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10:17a, 6/20/26
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Do they charge fat asses more?
Being in TexAgs jail changes a man……..no, not really
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doubledog
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In reply to B-1 83 • 10:26a, 6/20/26
B-1 83 said:
Do they charge fat asses more?

Obesity is formally acknowledged as a multifaceted, chronic illness.
This recognition complicates the process of imposing higher charges on insurance.


https://asmbs.org/patients/disease-of-obesity/
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backintexas2013
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In reply to doubledog • 10:28a, 6/20/26
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Yep. Damn idiots. Fat tubs of goo cost us much more than tobacco users.
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MouthBQ98
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10:33a, 6/20/26
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Other people aren't responsible for your own personal bad choices OR genetic misfortunes
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backintexas2013
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In reply to MouthBQ98 • 10:51a, 6/20/26
AG
Yep many people with addictive personalities quit smoking.

Very very few fats are fat because of genetics it's like using the big boned excuse
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