JayB Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 "United States: Medicare Revises Policy on Obesity 20 July 2004 Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson announced at a Senate hearing on Thursday that Medicare is dropping language stating that obesity is "not an illness," although it is not formally recognizing obesity as a disease. This change in policy will allow Medicare beneficiaries to request a government review of medical evidence to determine whether certain treatments for obesity can be covered. Even though Medicare programs have previously covered illnesses caused by obesity (e.g., diabetes and cardiovascular diseases) such policy denied coverage for weight-loss therapies. Although this change in policy is not coupled with immediate coverage changes, Medicare signaled its intent to begin reviewing scientific evidence in the fall in order to determine what types of care to cover, including surgical procedures and behavioral and diet counseling." Unbelievable. The next time I see a morbidly obese person - which shouldn't take too long in this country - I will just open my wallet, give them $20 to put towards their bariatric surgery - and cut out the Medicare middleman. If anyone is looking for the date upon which this country formally renounced the notion of personal responsibility once and for all, this will be it. Rather than subsidizing medical care for the obese, we should introduce legislation that allows the insurance companies to increase rates to reflect the increased health-care costs that they generate and the increased insurance risks that they represent. You choose to overeat - fine- as long as you are willing to accept the consequences and impose the costs of your decision on yourself rather than the rest of society. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klenke Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 We should tax calories. 1 cent per 100 calories consumed. Just think, with each candy bar purchased, 2-3 cents can go toward helping pay some fat person's medical costs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenderfour Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 Sweet!!! Stomach stapling, here I come!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beck Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 If you're big enough, you can get disability- I knew a guy, he used to brag about having to 'keep his weight up' to keep the government checks rolling in! There is something wrong with American welfare system. Did anyone see this months' National Geographic? cover article is on obesity, but there's also a great article on first traverse of the Patagonian icecap by Borge Ousland and a partner. Crazy hauling kayaks up icefall photos! Oh, remember, if you get fat, go for the disability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olyclimber Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 We need to make the pie higher. Then there won't be so many fat people, like the guy who flung his bales of fat into me as he jammed his fat ass into the seat next to me on the bus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cj001f Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 Rather than subsidizing medical care for the obese, we should introduce legislation that allows the insurance companies to increase rates to reflect the increased health-care costs that they generate and the increased insurance risks that they represent. You choose to overeat - fine- as long as you are willing to accept the consequences and impose the costs of your decision on yourself rather than the rest of society. Theoretically that's possible, but lately the way the insurance industry deals with risk is to deny coverage, leaving exactly where we are now. I'd much rather pay for some lardo's Slimfast than dialysis. Part of lowering America's healthcare costs is to focus on preventative medicine. This is at least a start in that direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayB Posted July 21, 2004 Author Share Posted July 21, 2004 That's a worthy point, but health insurance companies don't deny health care to smokers, they just charge them a premium that reflects the additional risk that htey represent. Some life insurers are apparently already incorporating obesity premiums into their rates - their PR rationale being that both they and their policyholders have a common interest in the policyholder staying alive as long as possible, and any steps that they take that prod the policyholder into adopting a healthier lifestyle will benefit them both. I am a big advocate of preventive medicine, but it seems as though this ruling runs the risk of encouraging the very behavior that we should be focused on preventing, while at the same time promoting the falsehood that obesity is a disease on par with parkinsons or sickle cell anemia in that one has no control over it. At the very least modifying premiums to reflect the health risks inherent in voluntary lifestyle choices - like smoking or overeating - can serve as an incentive for a change in behavior. At the very least higher premiums have a the potential to put a dent in the twinkie fund... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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