Next time you get on a scale, your boss could be peeking over your shoulder -- and if he doesn't like what he sees, he's going to tack an extra fee onto your health insurance premium.

Cholesterol a little high? Expect another penalty.

BP not where it should be? Prepare to pony up.

Love tobacco? Watch your money, your privacy and your rights all go up in smoke at once -- because employers are intruding into your personal life like never before.

In two years, the number of companies adding penalties to health insurance premiums because of "poor" health and "bad" habits has more than doubled, from 8 percent in 2009 to 19 percent this year -- and that number is expected to double again to 40 percent in the next year alone.

I don't care what the reason is -- tobacco, weight, whatever -- every penny you shell out due to this employer intrusiveness is a penny too much. But we're not talking pennies here.

We're not talking nickels, dimes, or quarters either.

We're talking BIG money -- like up to $2,000 a year in penalties for smokers who work for Walmart. It's an outrage, and not just because the cigarette break is probably the best part of the day for someone stuck working for Walmart.

It's because mainstream targets and standards have nothing to do with good health. They were written by docs on drug company payrolls with the sole goal of getting more people onto meds for non-conditions such as cholesterol and blood pressure.

Time for a reality check: Someone who eats crap all day but hits his BP and cholesterol targets thanks to those meds is in no way, shape or form healthy -- but he's the guy who gets the big insurance discount.

Meanwhile, a guy with "high" cholesterol due to a healthy low-carb lifestyle actually has a LOWER risk of heart problems -- even if he enjoys a good cigar after his steak dinner -- yet he has to pay big for being "unhealthy" and having "bad habits."

It just doesn't get any more ridiculous than that.

Related articles of interest

Prepare for Less Health Care

Fraud is bustin’ out all over the world of healthcare

How Much is Your Insurance Company Stealing From You?

Will Health Insurance Keep You From Going Bankrupt?

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