Apple is Launching Medical Clinics for its Employees

rgMekanic

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Apple is launching a group of clinics that hey are calling AC Wellness for it's employees and families this spring. The company quietly posted the website acwellness.com that was first spotted by CNBC. The website outlines more details about the initiative, as well as job listings for a primary care doctor, exercise coach, and a phlebotomist to perform lab tests on-site.

While I think this sounds nice, and is a great benefit to Apple employees, the only thing I can think of is "Damn Apple, how much data do you need?!"

Aside from the typical roles involved with a primary care clinic, Apple is also looking to hire "designers" who will help implement a program focused on preventing disease and promoting healthy behavior. It's looking for a population health designer and clinical program design lead, listings show.
 
my company had something like this and removed it because it cost too much :penguin:
 
I need to go to the iDoctor.
I guess your information remains private with HIPAA laws. Not entirely comfortable with your employer knowing certain medical conditions. What if they found out you were going to have lots of health issues and somehow let you go. Of course, they'd be stupid to say why. Just like if I'm interviewing someone for a job, I could easily not hire them if I didn't like their sex/color/whatever. I'd just score them low in another area and not say anything about my real reasons if I was asked by HR. (I have not done this, but it would be very easy to do so).
Anyone participating in wellness programs at work? I'm starting a new job soon and saw I'll save about 50% on my health insurance premiums if I participate in the wellness program. I don't have details yet. I know some companies give you a FitBit and they track your exercise levels. It's opt-in, but quite enticing since I can save a lot of money.
 
My company added clinics to our 2 main campus' 2 years ago, it's been pretty damn handy.
 
An Apple a day... but that's what you get when you only take one bite out of your apple...it's not enough to keep the doctor away. I'm sure they'd love their employees (and everyone else) to buy an Apple a day...the ultimate in planned obsolescence.
 
They’re also adding dental care at most of these campus’ now too.
Lucrative if you can get in.
 
they need it for when people go walking into all the glass walls because they cant pay attention to what the hell they're doing.
 
LOL next up.. they need to have a company store.. and housing and we will have gone back to the early 1900's
 
This is the problem with employer provided heath insurance: they now have a legitimate reason to not only monitor you to see if you live a "healthy lifestyle", but to also coerce/force you to live "healthier" since they are paying for your healthcare.
 
Medical clinics? What about nets around the stores rooftops? That would stop them from jumping and breaking something.
 
This is the problem with employer provided heath insurance: they now have a legitimate reason to not only monitor you to see if you live a "healthy lifestyle", but to also coerce/force you to live "healthier" since they are paying for your healthcare.
Paying or not I don't think Apple would actually have legal access to their employee's records with out consent. Pretty sure HIPAA and all still applies.
 
An Apple a day... but that's what you get when you only take one bite out of your apple...it's not enough to keep the doctor away. I'm sure they'd love their employees (and everyone else) to buy an Apple a day...the ultimate in planned obsolescence.

See, you are supposed to use the apple as a weapon. Throw it really hard at the doctor, hit them in the head and cause them to be down for the rest of the day with minor head trauma. That is how you keep them away.

they need it for when people go walking into all the glass walls because they cant pay attention to what the hell they're doing.

they will have an express line for those people
 
Paying or not I don't think Apple would actually have legal access to their employee's records with out consent. Pretty sure HIPAA and all still applies.
That's easy to get around: just get them to voluntarily give you the info you want. For example, where I work they give you a small discount on the employee portion of the health care cost if they wear a health monitor, like a fitbit, to prove that they exercise enough. The employee must submit the data from the monitor on a regular basis to keep the "discount". In reality, everybody that does not do this pays a penalty. Think about how much information they can get from the current monitoring devices. As time goes on, they will be more and more intrusive and the disincentives to opt out will get greater and greater. This is the future of employer provided/subsidized healthcare.
 
I know one company who allows employees to take optional physicals, and if the employee meets health goals, they get paid for it. The company uses the information to drive their health insurance costs lower.

I got no problem with that. At least they are paying for the data, unlike all those others who just steal it and make a fortune on it.
 
That's easy to get around: just get them to voluntarily give you the info you want. For example, where I work they give you a small discount on the employee portion of the health care cost if they wear a health monitor, like a fitbit, to prove that they exercise enough. The employee must submit the data from the monitor on a regular basis to keep the "discount". In reality, everybody that does not do this pays a penalty. Think about how much information they can get from the current monitoring devices. As time goes on, they will be more and more intrusive and the disincentives to opt out will get greater and greater. This is the future of employer provided/subsidized healthcare.
Well then if you were smart and cared about your privacy then you wouldn't opt-in. But to be real people don't care about their privacy if it meant saving some money. It still wouldn't be something Apple could force people to sign up for.
 
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