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Outrage over CVS plan requiring health info from employees

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    Is new policy legal?

  • Duration 5:14
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-- the controversial move by a major retailer that's causing some big concerns about privacy.

The name of the retailer CVS is his -- drugstore chain.

And it plans to require employees to submit personal medical information like height and weight and body fat.

Or pay hundreds more for health insurance.

Many are outraged at the idea and giving employers such personal information but some argue with medical costs soaring.

This might be something that other companies start to do as well is it -- -- Our legal panel thank -- TC a former federal prosecutor.

And answer -- -- a criminal defense attorney before we start.

I like your height and weight plays that we -- have this -- my height and weight.

I would interact attitude calculator -- -- -- -- -- Fred but is it legal is it legal for a company to ask there employee.

For access to information like -- your height and weight in your glucose levels is that legal.

We will you know something that the answer your question is yes but let me say this -- -- when I first read the story yesterday heard about this -- completely popped off because this really really bothered me.

But when I started to look at it.

I can spin this in this way if all CVS is doing is saying to its employees look you have to take this test which is what they've said.

You have to provide this information to your health health health people to your doctor.

And that's the end of it in an effort to get people to be cognizant of their likely -- levels there -- there whether or not they're overweight.

And and work with their doctor and start that conversation that that's all you're doing then that's actually somewhat but nine but if you take the next step.

Which is trying to have your employees provided information to their employer I think that's completely outrageous and over the line.

So Esther how do you know when the question that comes up with us is how do we know once we -- -- that information.

That in some way it's not used again stats by Arab company.

But we -- that's the problem this is a slippery slippery slope as Fred was a little kid this is why.

He would get so upset and -- why this is such outrageous conduct we can't -- Putting our trust and that corporation and make sure that our personal information is not hacked or voluntarily handed over.

And they would why are they asking for this information if it's not teen -- -- in some capacity.

If I walk into an -- if I walk in tonight and it hit my boss's office and they say you know your blood pressure is a little -- these days.

You know we might fire you this just gives -- -- here yet another reason to discredit me.

Against their employees so it's not a governing credit ready for your -- can't -- this directly.

They can't do it -- go to -- doctor and get this information because -- what.

-- an -- let me let me try to -- -- -- our our viewers have questions about that -- our doctors can't release this information but here's how the rules -- and they hit a privacy rule does not prevent -- supervisor.

HR worker or others from asking an employee about information.

About -- -- -- health if the employer needs the information to administer sickly workers' compensation on this wellness programs.

Or health insurance so -- outrageous slippery slope but.

Is it perfectly legal for the employer to do this.

Well that's that that is.

That's the question and I about the find out why my friends get -- the analyst in idealism more on the defense he gets a little bit.

If they never go to the doctor and they never ask for that information and quite frankly I don't think -- the walls that ultimately give them access to that information.

And it stays between the patient and his doctor.

That's one thing.

But what I'm concerned about is what is CVS now prevents -- just -- We're gonna find you a hundred dollars a month unless you turn that information -- tell -- and I tell you under contract -- I could spend lesbian legal that's where it gets really.

Dicey CDS is it's not taking the information -- that is going to a third go round is that it's -- -- that it's not it's not claiming that there are they are taking into very each aren't putting an art in our files.

What about that -- what about app part of at all.

That's that they say that but again the very next step is for it and conducting -- sent.

And you know -- our personal information out all the time and then it gets a gets compromised because someone -- and and now they have the information so.

It's just too close of a line.

Between not getting the employer the information and then being able to get it anyway.

And then an illegal elevated to go back to that well it's a cruel it's always innovative whether it shouldn't.

Any illegal mean.

-- right.

What what way that we give out personal information all the time but it's one thing between town somebody would not like long walks on the beach and another -- tell somebody what your blood glucose level is so I don't think inflation right call to get that information up.

Here -- -- -- talking to pay your colleagues say about this is it's a really interesting talker right.

I've ever going -- like the idea of having to report back for the company but no 11 to pay the fine.

And to your point Fred there's nothing in here that would say that that find does not grow over the years.

If you decide that's the scary right not it's it's it's a slope that you don't know where this is absolutely excellent what it was his lawyers say a slippery slope where do you start screen and you -- right away before we start doing any of these -- -- I want all of your -- before recovering.

Things that's independently and -- and I grabbed me and I that I care for and -- -- is -- for playing the fifth a day.

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