Former Humana Employee Sues Over Health Plan’s Smoker Penalty

Humana Inc. is the latest employer to be sued over its practice of charging higher fees for health-care coverage to employees who use tobacco products.

The proposed class action, filed Tuesday in the US District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, takes aim at Humana’s practice of charging workers who smoke an extra $80 per month for health coverage. This flouts federal legal requirements because Humana doesn’t sufficiently explain how to waive the penalties, and it doesn’t guarantee that workers who satisfy an alternative standard will receive retroactive reimbursement of penalties already paid, according to the lawsuit.

• Plaintiff ...