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Obesity fight hits taxpayers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | 1/22/04 | DAVID WAHLBERG

Posted on 01/22/2004 12:48:56 AM PST by 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."


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; US: Alaska; US: Arizona; US: California; US: District of Columbia; US: Georgia; US: New York; US: Wyoming
KEYWORDS: healthcare; medicaid; medicare; nannystate; obesity; pufflist; sonnyperdue
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To: Capt. Tom
Anyone can fall on you and do that.

But it's far less likely that a person of average weight would lose their balance and if they did it's far less likely that they would injure you.

Since elevators don't work during emergencies do you want to make fatties and handicapped people wait till last? - Tom

Of course not. They should be treated like anyone else. But it is inescapable that, logically, extremely fat people will create a greater danger to everyone else by slowing down evacuation or preventing it.

You seem to be missing the trial lawyer logic here. Smokers may increase risks to your health; therefore outlaw smoking in the name of public safety. e.g. obese people may increase health risks for others; therefore penalties and sanctions are in order. If not for obese individuals then for the causes of obesity. Sue the purveyors of fats for multi-billion dollar settlements.

It's for the public good. Obesity is arguably more dangerous to the public than smoking. Why should fatties get a break?

81 posted on 01/23/2004 10:24:24 AM PST by TigersEye (Dean people suck!)
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To: calcowgirl
I predict the next move will be (you heard it here first)....warning labels on food. Something like: "Warning: Eating this food may cause illegal weight gain."

IMHO, after a certain tipping point, governments only get bigger. The size of the Federal Government will never decrease until a MASSIVE problem. Take a lesson from CA - a bankrupt state can't even make cuts. Pathological. Sad.

82 posted on 01/23/2004 10:24:57 AM PST by searchandrecovery (America - Welcome to Sodom & Gomorrah West)
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To: calcowgirl
Obesity fight hits taxpayers

Politicians think our wallets are too fat.

83 posted on 01/23/2004 10:29:32 AM PST by talleyman (It takes a village to raise an idiot.)
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To: Eastbound
Bump for deep-fried breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches, redheads, apple pie, motherhood, the flag, Lucky Strikes, liberty, and freedom from the nanny state.

One of my favorite TV ads from a few years back: "Who ordered da heart attack on a bun?"

84 posted on 01/23/2004 10:32:38 AM PST by Timesink (Two fonts walk into a bar. The bartender says, "We don't serve your type here.")
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To: Timesink
I'm not sure that would fly in VT. This is the land of socialism.

I'm more of a believer in the free market principle. I rejected his advice and I won't go back. I also pass along my experience and my opinions so others will be better informed about his practice and medical practice in general. As AuntB found out the hard way one has to participate to be harmed. I counsel non-participation if at all possible. Use doctors for necessities of treatment only. Get 2nd and third opinions.

85 posted on 01/23/2004 10:35:46 AM PST by TigersEye (Dean people suck!)
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To: putupon
And taxpayer funded food stamps. If are poor, how did they get fat?

the poorest people are the fattest

86 posted on 01/23/2004 10:37:50 AM PST by petercooper (Dean is done!)
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To: this_ol_patriot; Xenalyte
In 50 years or so if your DNA isn't perfect at birth you will be disposed of immediately, if you don't maintain a government approved lifestyle afterwards you will be sent to a re-training camp and if after 3 tries you don't improve you will be deemed an enemy of the state and eliminated in a humane manner for the health and safety of the peoples government. Can anyone deny this isn't coming sooner rather than later?

I would modify this a bit. IMHO what's coming is designer genes. No fetus will need to be disposed of" because they'll be designed from the very beginning to conform to the parents' desires: boy or girl, tall or short, red or blonde or brown hair, blue or green or brown eyes, etc. And of course every single parent will ask for the genes to be inserted to insure athleticism, brilliance, and thinness (or at least to insure a very high metabolism so they'll be extremely unlikely to ever gain too much weight). To the extent possible, every parent will select genes insuring their kids grow up with attractive faces and bodies as well.

And you know what? In the unlikely event this happens soon enough for me to make such selections for my own children, I'll be first in line at Design-A-Kid. We live, sadly, in a world based on hate and bigotry, where those without the "proper" looks (and, coming very soon, without the proper genes) are almost always damned to a life in the slow lane, denied many of the most basic opportunities, finding many doors locked that always open for those that are "cute" and "sexy". Why would I want to risk having my kid go through a life of hell like that?

If society won't change and allow equality of opportunity (not of result), then I will absolutely take advantage of whatever science comes along that FORCES the playing field level. That's what conservatism is supposed to be about, after all.

87 posted on 01/23/2004 10:47:03 AM PST by Timesink (Two fonts walk into a bar. The bartender says, "We don't serve your type here.")
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To: this_ol_patriot
Well before that, we FReepers will be hunted down and "released".

You know, I have seen to many sci fi movies.
88 posted on 01/23/2004 11:01:41 AM PST by redgolum
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To: TigersEye
Yep a freeper clued me into the dual personality. I like Hellmans in mass quantities. BLT's are great.

CG
89 posted on 01/23/2004 3:33:24 PM PST by Conspiracy Guy (This tagline is made from 100% virtual material. Do not remove under penalty of law.)
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To: calcowgirl
I saw this on the Comcast homepage yesterday.
Here come the scumbag lawyers looking for a few deep pockets and a hunk of "jackpot justice".
90 posted on 01/23/2004 3:40:07 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: Timesink
In the unlikely event this happens soon enough for me to make such selections for my own children, I'll be first in line at Design-A-Kid.

No, you'll be in line behind the welfare crowd who will, naturally, get to design their kids "for free".

91 posted on 01/23/2004 3:43:59 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: Timesink; .30Carbine
We live, sadly, in a world based on hate and bigotry, where those without the "proper" looks (and, coming very soon, without the proper genes) are almost always damned to a life in the slow lane, denied many of the most basic opportunities, finding many doors locked that always open for those that are "cute" and "sexy". Why would I want to risk having my kid go through a life of hell like that?

Hell exists in the mind and there's more than one kind of hell.

92 posted on 01/23/2004 5:56:23 PM PST by TigersEye (Dean people suck!)
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To: autoresponder
That's pretty, auto. It's getting close to what the 'applet' gifs look like.
93 posted on 01/23/2004 6:06:32 PM PST by potlatch (Whenever I feel 'blue', I start breathing again.)
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To: Timesink
I would modify this a bit. IMHO what's coming is designer genes. No fetus will need to be disposed of" because they'll be designed from the very beginning to conform to the parents' desires: boy or girl, tall or short, red or blonde or brown hair, blue or green or brown eyes, etc. And of course every single parent will ask for the genes to be inserted to insure athleticism, brilliance, and thinness (or at least to insure a very high metabolism so they'll be extremely unlikely to ever gain too much weight). To the extent possible, every parent will select genes insuring their kids grow up with attractive faces and bodies as well.

I'll stick with randomness or the will of God, so be it. Would we have had a Steven Hawking without some random quirk that produced such a severely handicapped person with such a magnificent intellect? What causes and effects produce genius in any field of endeavour? Would we end up designing a race of men that did nothing but admire their perfection in a mirror? Man's perfection is not in flawlessness but in his overcoming his weaknesses and faults. It is adversity that drives man forward. I think a perfect man in a perfect world would the weakest man of all.

94 posted on 01/23/2004 10:14:12 PM PST by this_ol_patriot
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To: Argh
I'm tempted to say because she was there and heard him say it, but I won't.

Smart Aleck! :-)

95 posted on 01/24/2004 8:22:52 AM PST by RikaStrom
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