Obesity fight hits taxpayers

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | 1/22/04 | DAVID WAHLBERG

[calcowgirl]

Obesity in the United States, which affects nearly one-third of adults -- costs $75 billion a year in medical expenses, half of it funded by taxpayers through Medicare and Medicaid, a new study says.

Treatment of obesity, ranging from clinic visits to gastric bypass surgeries, amounts to $350 a year for each adult, according to the study released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta and RTI International, a nonprofit research firm in North Carolina.

The percentage of American adults considered obese has doubled in the last 25 years, fueling a rise in chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, the CDC said.

"Obesity has become a crucial health problem for our nation, and these findings show that the medical costs alone reflect the significance of the challenge," said Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson. "We must take responsibility both as individuals and working together to reduce the health toll associated with obesity."

Both Thompson and Dr. Julie Gerberding, CDC director, have declared obesity a major health concern.

The new study -- which doesn't include children, whose obesity rates are soaring -- found that 5.7 percent of the nation's health care expenses are for treatment of obesity. That is roughly the same percentage spent on treatment for the effects of smoking.

The burden is greater for taxpayer-funded programs: 6.8 percent of Medicare costs and 10.6 percent of Medicaid costs are spent on treatment of obesity.

Medicare is a federal program for seniors and the disabled, and Medicaid is a federal and state program for the poor.

The study, the first to break down obesity costs by state, focuses on all medical expenses incurred by obese people that exceed the medical expenses of the non-obese. This included all costs for all medical treatment, whether paid by private insurance or public programs. Indirect costs, such as lost productivity and time away from work, were not considered.

California spends the most on obesity overall -- $7.7 billion a year -- and through Medicare -- $1.7 billion. New York tops the list in obesity-related Medicaid expenses at $3.5 billion. Alaska and the District of Columbia spend the largest share of medical expenses on obesity -- 6.7 percent.

Wyoming spends the least treating obesity each year, at $87 million. Arizona spends the smallest share of its health care dollars on obesity, at 4 percent.

A state's obesity costs are influenced by its obesity rate, its population, the amount of managed care and the extent to which public programs pay for medical expenses. High costs can result from generous health care programs as well as a high incidence of obesity.

"This allows each state to see how much they spend on obesity," said Eric Finkelstein, an RTI researcher. "It should encourage states and employers to figure out how to reduce these costs."

States can support nutrition and fitness programs to reduce obesity costs in future years, Finkelstein said. Some employers offer perks to workers who enroll in exercise programs or otherwise keep health care costs down. Georgia's obesity rate is 23.5 percent, compared with the national average of 22.1 percent, according to a CDC survey that relies on self-reporting by participants. A more robust CDC study, not broken down by state, puts the national rate at 31 percent.

In the new study, Georgia comes in slightly higher than the national average on obesity costs. The state spends $2.1 billion treating obesity, or 6 percent of its overall health care costs. Obesity accounts for $405,000, or 7.1 percent, of Medicare spending and $385,000, or 10.1 percent, of Medicaid spending in Georgia.

Gov. Sonny Perdue's budget for next year calls for greater cuts in public health spending than the 5 percent reduction across the board in spending by state agency. But that doesn't mean obesity isn't an important issue, Perdue spokesman Dan McLagan said.

"The governor's focus is on children, education and job creation," he said. "Sadly, everything can't be funded."

[ETERNAL WARMING]

Lookout taxpayers! This is the argument the money grabbers used on the Smoking Issue. It was only a way to sell it to the public so they could justify persecuting smokers with obscene levels of taxation.

[Don W]

And so it begins. If it weren't so disgusting, this would be funny.

Smokers never thought that they would become pariahs because they acquiesced to not smoking in certain situations.

Now it's the (for lack of a better term) "fattie's" turn.

I'm reminded of a quote, part of which goes:

When they came for the Jews, I said nothing, for I was not a Jew

When they came for .....

When they came for ME, there was no-one TO speak up.


Can you say "Hoist upon one's own petard"?

[Flyer]

The obvious solution is to end taxpayer funded healthcare.

[Ff--150]

Just curious: Whatever happended to the hordes of militias in boots and field jackets of fanatical right-wing extremists who were gonna force their "version" of the Constitution and religion down everyone's throat only a few years ago? Remember, the media informed us that those zealots, along with AIDS were going to kill us all, in particular our children?

With this scheme to tax fast food and no doubt steaks and hamburgers on our grill--just wondering what happened to that militia threat, who would seemingly jump right in on this obtrusive plan of the socialists?

[putupon]

The obvious solution is to end taxpayer funded healthcare.

And taxpayer funded food stamps. If are poor, how did they get fat?

[metesky]

I vill not smoke!
I vill not overeat!
I vill not drink!
I vill exercise!

I vill be der UberAmerican!

[RikaStrom]

Oh good grief.

Too many places to start... I think I will just go pack instead.

Morning Don.

[4CJ]

But the Republicans are in control .... Surely, they are looking out for us, they believe in cheap, limited, non-intrusive government?

Don't they?

[TN4Liberty]

I agree. This is an indictment of how we fund medical care rather than on how we eat.

[Ff--150]

"But the Republicans are in control .... Surely, they are looking out for us, they believe in cheap, limited, non-intrusive government?"

Then, sir, the militia, driving those CJ's, are now in control?? Then, why they funding a scheme to tax fast food along the lines of the taxes on tobacco? It seems like the right-wing crazies would not allow that... ?

[saveliberty]

"I agree. This is an indictment of how we fund medical care rather than on how we eat."

More to the point, this is compulsive behavior that is promoted by nice sounding but destructive social reengineering. The more the "socially responsible" repeat the mantra that people just can't make it anymore, there's no hope. When there's no hope, depression manifests itself in different ways for different people. What we do see is higher compulsive eating and spending in government dependent households.

The responsible are not responsible.
The not responsible, are responsible, but if their program causes harm, they are not responsible.

[SheLion]

Lookout taxpayers! This is the argument the money grabbers used on the Smoking Issue. It was only a way to sell it to the public so they could justify persecuting smokers with obscene levels of taxation.

Wake up America!  They will be coming for YOU next!

Lookout taxpayers! This is the argument the money grabbers used on the Smoking Issue. It was only a way to sell it to the public so they could justify persecuting smokers with obscene levels of taxation.

Wake up America!  They will be coming for YOU next!

[Sunshine Sister]

Good idea. I can hear the screams of outrage now! "Where's my free health care! I deserve it!"

[SheLion]

From the RAND Report:

OBESITY LINKED TO HIGHER RATES OF CHRONIC ILLNESS AND WORSE PHYSICAL QUALITY OF LIFE THAN SMOKING, DRINKING OR POVERTY THREE OF FIVE ADULT AMERICANS ARE OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE

[mtbopfuyn]

Disgusting. Next, it will be all red heads or those with brown eyes.

[Conspiracy Guy]

When a 10 oz bag of chips is $4.00, the sheeple will ask, "Why didn't someone warn us?" We can say, "We did!"

CG

[SheLion]

Couch potato lifestyle is worse for your health than smoking

Ok! That's my "2 cents." :)

[CSM]

Well, we better institute punitive taxes on any food not approved by the state. That is clearly the only solution!

BWWWWWWWAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHAAAAAAA!

[metesky]

When a 10 oz bag of chips is $4.00, the sheeple will ask, "Why didn't someone warn us?" We can say, "We did!"

We're buying loose tobacco and rolling our own, what's to stop us from making our own chips?

In Bangor I can buy a 50lb bag of Maine spuds for around $6.00.

I'm old enough to remember post-WWII scarcity when everybody made their own, made do or did without. I can live without Phillip Morris, Frito-Lay and most of the others.

But not Cains Mayonnaise. :O(

What will Big Tobacco and Big Food do without us?

I think these Lifestyle geeks are trying to crash the economy.