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IBM Providing Employees With Free or Reduced Cost Apple Watch as Part of Health Insurance Plan

Sweet... I heard something similar on the news radio the other day too. Might be a short term trend that insurance companies along with employers help supply or subsidize products like the iWatch to their employee's for fitness reasons?
 
Buran said:
Is this going to require you to send your activity data to IBM and/or its insurer?
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Great question. I would dread to have to share my activity with anyone (even though I am fit). I would hope it is illegal for employers and insurers to discriminate, positively or negatively, based on activity, the same way they no longer can deny you because of preexisting conditions.

Fine as an incentive, as long as you don't start nagging me to get up so that I can pay less for insurance.
 
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How long til Apple buys IBM and uses it as an Enterprise subsidiary?

I mean, IBM doesn't make PC's anymore, and most of it's employees use Macs now.

Hell is freezing over.....Apple buys IBM.
 
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A few years ago, my wife's company integrated a pedometer into her health plan with incentives and awards. This is an evolution of this. If my company gave me even a discount on an applewatch in the name of insurance, I'd jump at it. Of course I already have one but if I didn't, I'd be all over it.
 
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My insurance company currently gives me the option of:
a) $250 visa card to use for gym memberships, health food stores, sports memberships, etc.
b) $500 rebate for buying $1000 worth of fruits and vegetables

This could simply be another option:

c) $400 towards purchase of an Apple Watch
 
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Rogifan said:
Except before Watch ever went on sale Tim Cook said they wouldn't be reporting sales figures.
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I definitely do not expect you to agree with this, but I think if sales numbers of the Apple Watch were groundbreaking they would announce them. True, they said in advance they wouldn't announce the numbers, but they also have market analysts who make predictions.
 
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I was wondering how Apple was going to artificially bump their sales numbers of Apple Watches. I knew they weren't going to be able to slash prices dramatically, without it coming off as admitting failure. I hadn't thought of this idea. Clever.
 
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kingpushup said:
Positive opportunity. I support presidential fitness roll outs for cities, and IBM is like a small city. Behaviorally we cannot "quit" laziness (a type of negative reinforcement), but we can complete circles. Sometimes life is this simple, this positive.

Like it.
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hmm... i understand and appreciate what you said, and how you said it, but still... after reading your post i feel like i was indoctrinated into a cult somehow. very mesmerizing wording there. must analyze........... ;)
 
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Unfortunately, the "free" watch is only for those who pick the insurance plan with the High Deductible HSA.
 
TonyC28 said:
I definitely do not expect you to agree with this, but I think if sales numbers of the Apple Watch were groundbreaking they would announce them. True, they said in advance they wouldn't announce the numbers, but they also have market analysts who make predictions.
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I think they are playing it clever. By not revealing sales numbers the competition have less of an idea on if to carry on this market. If apple report massive sales then company's like Samsung will know to just keep trying as there is a market. If they report low numbers than Samsung know they will have difficulty if Apple is having issues selling and pull out of this product category . As it stands they don't really know.
 
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Very good news. I lost about 7lbs in the first two months of owning the Apple Watch simply from tracking my activity and going for the daily fitness goals. Proactive, preventive measures like this can save huge healthcare costs down the road. Medical intervention will never make up for an unhealthy lifestyle.
 
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ArtOfWarfare said:
Ha. Nobody reads those. Just find an existing employee and they'll refer you.

(I know because I am an employee. There's so many automated filter systems that your odds are slim to none that your application will go anywhere if you don't hand it to an actual employee. I got in via a Friend of a Friend. A coworker got in via their dad being an employee. Another got in via their friend. A few people got in via acquisitions. I don't know anybody who made it in via filling out a job application.)

Anyways, for employees who want to know more, it's an email that was sent yesterday afternoon from IBM Human Resources. The subject was "Your 2016 Benefits: Let's Commit to Health". It sounds to me like you won't actually be able to order/receive your Apple Watch until next year... I suspect that this is mostly a way for Apple to clear out old generation 1 models before they release new generation 2 models in Spring.
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Can you get me in to the Rochester, MN grounds to play disc golf next summer when I am in town?
 
TonyC28 said:
I definitely do not expect you to agree with this, but I think if sales numbers of the Apple Watch were groundbreaking they would announce them. True, they said in advance they wouldn't announce the numbers, but they also have market analysts who make predictions.
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But they are groundbreaking. Judging by the revenue figures Apple Watch sales dwarf the competition. Who else is selling millions of units? Who else is selling units at $10,000? The problem is that too many commentators just don't get that this is a small category and 50M sales per quarter just aren't going to happen. Not now, perhaps not a decade from now. This is why they announced in advance they wouldn't be sharing, because there no possible way to meet the expectations.
 
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S G said:
Great question. I would dread to have to share my activity with anyone (even though I am fit). I would hope it is illegal for employers and insurers to discriminate, positively or negatively, based on activity, the same way they no longer can deny you because of preexisting conditions.

Fine as an incentive, as long as you don't start nagging me to get up so that I can pay less for insurance.
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Last year with the Fitbit the data went to a third party and not to IBM directly. You were given a gold star for hitting your exercise goals. The third party also sent out motivational emails to get people moving.
 
asiga said:
Perfect addition to the "don't eat meat" law by the WHO yesterday. It's on the same lines of people believing everything the mass media says and the feel good style of an invented artificial health.
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I read about this. (I have a chuck roast in the crock pot for tonight which will go nice with home made potatoes)
 
Core.2 said:
Unfortunately, the "free" watch is only for those who pick the insurance plan with the High Deductible HSA.
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They way I look it we have two options. 1. Pay a higher monthly premium upfront and less out of pocket per each visit. 2. Pay a lower monthly premium and higher out of pocket per visit. Each family is different and will need to decide which way to go. Unfortunately this is the current state and future of healthcare in the US.
 
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