Ugh.
Medicare changes policy on obesity.
I think they should work on preventing the problem in the first place instead of just fixing the symptoms.
Education and counseling I understand moderate Medicare funding, but I'm going to pay for stomach stapling now? It would cost a lot less of taxpayer's money to teach people to eat healthier than it would be to pay for liposuction and diabetes II treatments.
I hope everyone's saving up because there goes your social security.
I think they should work on preventing the problem in the first place instead of just fixing the symptoms.
Education and counseling I understand moderate Medicare funding, but I'm going to pay for stomach stapling now? It would cost a lot less of taxpayer's money to teach people to eat healthier than it would be to pay for liposuction and diabetes II treatments.
I hope everyone's saving up because there goes your social security.
posted by Steph at 11:27 AM
6 Comments:
it's not that easy, ms. blogger. sometimes the problem is too hard to fix.
certainly, if everyone had and stuck to an ideal diet, we probably wouldn't have this problem. BUT...fat people are fat for more reasons than simply eating too much. how are you expect the government to be able to fix the variety of problems that lead to being overweight? it's not like fat people don't know what they're eating/doing is making them fat (i.e. "teaching people to eat healthier" is a load of crap).
but, more importantly, this actually looks like legislation that SAVES MONEY. how? well, is having liposuction cheaper than having heart surgery due to carrying excess weight? you bet. paying for obesity treatment now saves the amount we'll have to pay for heart surgeries/angioplasties etc. in the future.
Well, where should we start? Lets go line by line. First off the problem with obesity isn't necessarily problem of prevention. Granted that eating healthy can prevent obesity in a number of people, however there are a considerable number of individuals where weight is purely a genetic issue. As you know there are people who can eat as much as they want and still stay thin, the same concept applies to obesity, some individuals no matter how much they diet they will still gain weight. I have no problem defining people placed in the latter category as having a "disease". However it seems to me that you assume that all individuals who wish for stomach stapling will automatically get it. This is far from the case; stomach stapling is a procedure of last resort. And since neither you nor I have medical degrees I believe it is best left to the doctors to decide who really needs this surgery and who simply needs to stop stuffing their pie hole. Just like I believe if a person is horrifically disfigured in an accident that Medicare/Medicaid should pay for their reconstructive surgery. When the problem is beyond ones own control the government as a responsibility to its citizens to react accordingly.
The change in Medicare policy is a step in the right direction. As you noted this policy change not only opens the door to "stomach stapling" but also increases the possibility of funding to nutritional counseling. However, this is not a problem that needs "moderate" federal funding as you have noted, but rather a problem that needs the full attention of our countries health authorities. I'm assuming you were simply being factious about liposuction, since liposuction has no real medical purpose and therefore will most likely never be covered my Medicare.
Stop being a Republican. If it were up to them we wouldn’t have Medicare. All health care would be privatized and the idea of universal health care will be out of the question. Contrary to what they believe, health care is a right and not a privilege. That of course doesn't mean I advocate treatments based on non-medical reasons, it should be a doctor who determines what’s medical and what’s not. Bureaucrats and politician should not practice medicine.
Maybe because we're well educated and have had it beaten into our heads how to eat healthy from our anal Asian parents, but the sad fact is nutritional education is something we can't take for granted.
Just like we personally can't imagine how a child in the 6th grade still doesn't know their multiplication tables when we learned them in the 1st, many minority and lower class kids and adults are just not aware how big a difference eating at fast food restaurant effects your health. *1*
Education plays a big difference. *2*
And while yes, genes may increase one's susceptibility for obesity, it 'requires outside factors; such as abundant food supply or little physical activity.' *3*
As for liposuction vs. heart surgeries, I have no idea which costs more. But I do know that obesity issues caused by eating unhealthy food causes high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which causes fatty plaque build up in their arteries, something taking away fat can't cure. While liposuction is healthier than nothing at all, it is noT a subsitute. *4*
All costs and talk of money aside - it is better for the health of people at risk of being obese to get education in the first place, counseling if need be, and surgery as a last resort.
*1* http://journalism.nyu.edu/pubzone/race_class/othergirlsstuff2.htm*2* http://www.uh.edu/uhtoday/2002/10oct/nutrition102402.htm*3* http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/contributing_factors.htm*4* http://www.pharma-lexicon.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=9573
As for JERRY's comment, I am not a bloody REpublican.
I agree Medicare is a good thing, but only for those who can't help their conditions: cancer, accidents, Alzheimer's. I do agree obesity has a lot of genetics to do with it; if your parents are obese, you're likely to be also. But that has just as much enviromental factors as it does genetic.
I do not wish to deny help for those who want to lose weight. I agree Medicare should help fund those who want to better their health.
However, I do have a problem with being taking advantage of it - as so many Americans are wont to do. I spilled coffee. Give me millions. I smoke. Pay for my lung cancer chemo.
I just worry where and how Medicare will ever draw the line between funding those who seriously need help and those who refuse to realize, accept, and take responsibility for their actions and diet.
There has been a '76 percent increase in Type II diabetes in adults 30-40 yrs old since 1990' There is no way that is genetic. Think about the foods and drink advertised everywhere. It's foolish to put the blame solely on genetics.
I'm not a Nazi. I never said Medicare was a bad thing; and I'm glad there's Medicaid to help our elderly.
But if the government is going to use our tax money to fund these things, and decide who gets what, don't they at least owe us (those being treated and those paying for it) an attempt to prevent the symptoms from occuring before spending millions to correct it?
ppl who get liposuction just get fat again.
havn't you seen fight club?
and if you're just talking about genetic obesity, its a fairly small percentage of the fat population. i dont think that would be serious enough of a problem for the government, or us, to have to pay.
comeon. i use to be fat.
i ate curly fries and chips for every lunch in middle school.
it was mY fault. till i learned that shit isn't good for you.
eating healty,
it CAN be taught!
just look at what our schools serve. we got ice cream vending machines for goodness sake.
"just worry where and how Medicare will ever draw the line between funding those who seriously need help and those who refuse to realize, accept, and take responsibility for their actions and diet."put it in the hands of the doctors, its not for you nor I and defintely not politicians to determine whats medically necessary. Are some docotors out for money, yeah. But i believe the majority of them aren't. I trust doctors more then i'll ever trust a politicians.
Ultimately, socio-economics is the biggest barrier to preventing obesity then anything else. Stay tuned, look for a post in my blog later this week.
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