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The largest nonprofit health care system in Louisiana, Ochsner Health has announced it will charge workers an additional $200 per month to ensure their unvaccinated spouses or partners are covered by the hospital group’s insurance policies, referring to the high cost of caring for and treating patients with COVID-19. It could pay to encourage your spouse to become vaccinated against COVID-19, especially as the financial cost of refusing to get the jab rises. The company referred to the new surcharge, which will take effect in 2022, as a cost adjustment for adult dependents (spouses and domestic partners) who are not vaccinated against COVID-19. However, Ochsner already requires all of its 32,000 employees to be vaccinated, unless they qualify for a religious or medical exemption.

Point to be noted that employees whose adult dependents wish to remain unvaccinated and also dodge the fee can seek health insurance elsewhere. Ochsner Health President and CEO Warner Thomas issued a statement and said, “This is not a mandate as non-employed spouses and domestic partners can choose to select a health plan outside of Ochsner Health offerings”. The shift will help Ochsner keep costs and health premiums low for employees who have decided to inoculate themselves against the virus. Ochsner has already spent over $9 million on treatment costs related to COVID-19 for its employees. Warner said, “The reality is the cost of treating COVID-19, particularly for patients requiring intensive inpatient care, is expensive, and we spent more than $9 million on COVID care for those who are covered on our health plans over the last year”.

It is noteworthy that at least 90% of all patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at Ochsner facilities have been unvaccinated since vaccines were approved. Other employers, including Delta Air Lines, have said they will tack on similar monthly fees for employees who remain unvaccinated. Delta CEO Ed Bastian over the summer said unvaccinated employees participating in the company’s health care plan will incur an additional $200 monthly fee beginning in November, citing the high cost of hospital stays for COVID-19 patients and the risks they pose to the company’s earnings. Bastian said, “The average hospital stay for COVID-19 has cost Delta $50,000 per person. This surcharge will be necessary to address the financial risk the decision to not vaccinate is creating for our company”.