Sunday, 11 October 2009
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A "Fat Tax" May Increase Obese People's Healthcare Costs
Do you agree that obese people should have to pay more for their health insurance?
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Comments (67)
I really don't think that's fair.
Although I agree that this certainly isn't fair, there are already many Americans either paying more or being denied insurance for other pre-existing conditions. I can't say that I'm surprised to see this.
bullshit.
its an incentive to be healthy i guess..
Insurance needs a reform.
too bad everyones so greedy.
If you don't have a smoking tax, a drinking tax, a no-exercise tax, a working in a coal mine tax, or anything else that can lead to health problems, then I don't think you can logically have a fat tax. Plus, obesity seems to be more prevalent among poorer communities so you are really just adding more to their burden. Really, I think health insurance shouldn't be something we pay out of pocket for, it should be included in our taxes and everyone should have equal access to it, but that's a different debate all together.
It's ridiculous. It just forces people to fit into a body type. Plus how would this help health reform? Hey, since you smoke or your fat you're gonna pay more then this person. You'll support this bill right? It's retarded. Plus if your just a little bit overweight are you gonna be charged the same as a 350 pound obese person? That's not fair. The tax system always and still needs to be how much you make not how much you weight.
wow thats nuts... not only that but some people have legitmate reasons to be overweight like thyroid cancer, metabolic issues or even psychological issues(medications used often cause weight gain). and how are you going to seperate them from the rest of the people? Insurance is already hard to get if you're obese/overweight I don't think they need to make it that much harder.
When you smoke or are overweight in a private health insurance plans you have higher premiums. Why should government insurance plans be any different? Government insurance is some of the highest valued insurance in terms of cost/benefits so people should just be happy they actually have it as opposed to throwing a fit.
If they calculate the BMI properly, as opposed to just using your height and weight which is nothing more than an overglorified chart, I see no problem with it.
YEA! if they're not going to take care of themselves in the first place (by smoking or by becoming obese) they should absolutely have to pay more for healthcare
wow, not this came from my hometown....i'm not sure what to think of this one.
This is bullshit.
That's ridiculous.
That's just stupid. Everyone deserves to be covered equally. It doesn't matter if someone is obese, a smoker, working a high stress job, etc. they deserve equal coverage. Things like this follow that pre-existing condition bullshit insurance companies like to fap over and it's sickening.
@VegetariAnn@xanga - and I'm sure you have never done anything unhealthy in your life at all, right?
@KySueO@xanga - Of course I have (like drink or eat junk food) but I don't do it on a regular basis whereas smoking and eating to the point where you're obese it is.
I guess it doesn't bother you that YOUR TAXES are going towards the health of people who just don't give a shit about taking care of themselves.
The news very much simplified the law in layman's terms. The new tax won't be for "overweight people" but people who are considered "obese". If anyone has taken a look at the bmi charts, it goes underweight, normal weight, risk of overweight, over weight, risk of obesity, obesity, severe obesity...etc etc. So, unless your bmi is classed as "obesity", you're not going to be taxed more if you're overweight or at risk there of (20 pounds of vanity weight won't be coming out of your pocket).
I honestly don't know how I feel about this. On the one hand, it will cut down on insurance costs if the people obey and start making healthier lifestyles, but on the other hand it's the government's way of getting into your home and telling you how you need to live your life.
And I honestly don't see how the employers of businesses are going to find out if one smokes or not, If they're asked, I'm sure this state (I live in NC) will be rioting against discrimination. It will be interesting on how it turns out.
obesity is linked to many diseases, so obese people cost more in health care (as an average) than people who are not.
obesity is usually the fault of the person. sure they point the finger of blame at someone else, but it's normally due to a poor diet and/or lack of exercise. in rare cases it's gene related but it's way less than 1% and those people should be exempt from the extra tax
to put it into some kind of (health) context: if you don't look after your teeth your dental costs will go up because you will need more (and more expensive) treatments in the future. so, if you dont look after yourself and choose to eat poorly and your body becomes fat, you're more likely to suffer from more health issues, which will need to be treated, which is more expensive...etc etc
people should take responsibility for themselves. stop blaming others for the positions they find themselves in, especially when self-made. i'm a big believer in looking after the vulnerable in our society, but i can not, not ever, say that someone who's obese falls in to this category.
if they dont want to pay the additional tax, they have a simple choice to make, right?
It's pretty simple to me. People should pay a flat rate for whatever service they need. This way (as a healthy adult) I'm not obligated to pay for someone who's habits affect their health negatively. I'm not asking them to buy my healthy food...so they shouldn't expect me to pay for their gastric bypass.
I don't get the "we're entitled to health care" bit either. For anyone that thinks that, have you ever LIVED in a 3rd world country? These people are lucky to get food and a roof over their head, much less "adequate" healthcare.
If you work hard and earn your healthcare, then you deserve it. If you're ABLE-bodied and refuse to work, I should be allowed to refuse your healthcare costs. Keep in mind, I have no problem paying into government programs to help those who are unable to help themselves...but being unable and unWILLING are two entirely separate things.
@derekaom@xanga - totally agree with you :)
2 cents:
Obesity is EXTREMELY unhealthy and is not the same as being overweight
Obesity and being overweight are two different things. Obesity is when your BMI is 30 or higher, and being morbidly obese is when you are over 100 pounds overweight. Being overweight is totally completely fine. It has nothing to do with being thin or fitting into a certain body image, it is all about being healthy. And healthy does not equal thin. You can be overweight and be healthy Just not obese.
Obesity is the 2nd leading cause of preventable death in the United States. (Smoking is #1)
Health Problems Resulting from Obesity:
-decreased life expectancy
-increased risk of cancer
-cardiovascular disease
-type 2 diabetes (easily preventable with diet and exercise)
-high cholesterol
-sleep apnea/breathing difficulties
-osteoarthritis
-high blood pressure
-poor mobility (in extreme cases some can be confined to wheelchairs because they can no longer walk)
Obesity is a huge health problem.
Very seldom is it due SOLELY to genetics or disease, although these can have an effect on weight gain.
This is a costly problem, just think about all the medications these people must purchase and the surgeries that they may have to have.
Yes, obesity is more prevalent among poorer people buttttttt
-An apple is cheaper than a hamburger
- Exercise is free!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I feel like the real problem is lack of education on the subject of good nutrition and exercise. Everyone gets education on the risks of smoking, why should this be different?
Saying that being bigger makes you unhealthy is ridiculous. My mom has thyroid cancer and can't lose weight no matter what she does. I know of a lot of women on sports teams that are overweight or obese. One of those women is huge and she's on a rugby team that has made it to nationals the past two years. Weight is just a number.
if you are unhealthy in any way, especially if you have inflicted it on yourself, you should have to pay more for health insurance because it's going to cost more to take care of you. but to do it to take care of state debt is ridiculous and unfair.
I think it is fair. They are basically paying for the fact that they are at higher risk for health problems. Why should they be paying the same basic rate as everyone else when without a doubt they will be going to a doctor more often than healthy people.
Its just like auto insurance, that is if you are deemed as higher risk your premium will go up, I don't see what the big deal is here.
It also provides an incentive for people to lose weight and stop smoking.
I think there should be definite exceptions for people who have disorders that cause obesity.
Well that was my little rant, thanks.
@snowandstarstone@xanga - No, send her to a real exercise bootcamp then after that you can argue genetics. Do we really need a geneticist to come in and overturn your allegation? How about a nutrionist to analyze their diets? The status of being on a sports team doesn't mean you perform adequately to lose weight. And while weight is a number, it is a number with reference.
@Dave_Devine@xanga - Your logic is sound and agreeable. The big deal is that some people do not understand that insurance is and has NEVER about being fair (i.e. pay the same ratio for insurance) hence your example -- higher auto risk equates to having to pay a higher premium.
I'll repeat what people seem to not understand about insurance again...
Insurance ISN'T designed to be fair.
Should I have to pay a special tax for having a respiratory disorder?
Maybe it came from something "bad" I did, maybe it didn't. We don't know. But just in case I got it from having some unhealthy habit, should I be taxed for it?