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Medicare redefines obesity as a disease (almost)

 
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Ben's Mom



Quit Date:
July 6, 2004

Posts: 322
Location: Paradise, California

PostPosted: July 17, 2004 1:33 AM    Post subject: Medicare redefines obesity as a disease (almost) Reply with quote

Rule of thumb has been once medicare does this the insurance companies will follow. I've thought about this quite a bit since I heard it today. There is an epidemic of obesity in America and I don't think it is too hard to figure out why. Of course fast food contributes, but our territory has shrunk, as well.

When I was young (ye gads here comes one of those stories Rolling Eyes ) I'd leave the house in the morning, come back for lunch and leave again until dinner. I was always out playing, climbing trees, riding my bike, playing hide and seek, running through the corn fields etc.

Today I have two sons and their world is so small, that sometimes it just makes me sick to my stomach. If it weren't for organized sports they would be in the house constantly. They don't know what it means to take off and explore. My oldest struggles with weight issues and it is heartbreaking to see him feeling self conscious about his body even though I never ever tell him he needs to lose weight. I just try to encourage him to eat healthy and not sit behind the computer all the time.

Who knows maybe one day they will be giving out prescriptions for the gym!

IMHO if they do this then they should cover the cost of patches and gum to quit smoking.

Or maybe we are just a co-dependent society who thinks we can fix everyone's problem....???

Ah well.... just my thought for the day!

I've been quit for 11 days, 7 hours, 33 minutes and 44 seconds (11 days).
I've not smoked 249 death sticks, and saved $57.16.
I've saved 0 day(s), 21 hour(s) of my life.
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kannprint



Quit Date:
April 10, 2004

Posts: 4988
Location: St. Louis, MO

PostPosted: July 17, 2004 11:33 AM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi there, Ben's Mom,

I heard about Medicare and obesity also. In a way I just can't believe that the government is going to cover weight loss. I need to lose a few pounds now but feel totally responsible for that myself. I'm certainly not going to ask Medicare or my insurance carrier to pay the tab.

Maybe for those who are morbidly obese, some aid is needed. My thinking, though, is that they didn't get that way overnight and if they're able to lose the weight, what's the guarantee they won't gain it right back? It's going to take a total life change for people to remain at their correct weight after being obese.

Sorry if I sound uncaring. I'm not. I just become outraged when I feel that people expect the government (we taxpayers) to foot the bill for everything.

Thanks for bringing this subject up, Ben's Mom. By answering, I probably kept from being a crab with my husband this morning. Got my frustrations out through the computer. Smile

Living free for 3M, 6D, 13H, 55M and loving it.
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Carol



Quit Date:
December 9, 2009

Posts: 631
Location: Wisconsin

PostPosted: July 17, 2004 6:30 PM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well I am not sure if my comments are going to be permitted because of the arguementive nature of them, but here goes. If it gets crazy Keving, I have faith you will pull it.
Now...
About the obesity being a disease. My thought on that is that overeating, is an eating disorder much the same as anorexia/bulemia. Both treatments I believe are covered by Medicare. I believe also that overeating is just as much an addiction as alcoholism, drug addiction, smoking etc etc etc. Now they have recognized alcoholism, drug addiction and eating disorders (now including obesity) as diseases, yet their solution to the addiction of nicotine is to raise the taxes on tobacco again and again. Any true addict will forfiet milk rent clothes whatever, to feed their addiction. Instead of causing financial burdens on nicotine addicts, why are we not getting them treatment as we do all other addiction? Tobacco products are being continually taxed higher and higher, yet obesity has now surpassed tobacco related diseases as the number one killer, so why are we not taxing and taxing and taxing fast food restaurants. To me it is the same logic.
I think that the over taxation of smokers is unfair and punitive to the smoker and their families. How can one particular section of the population be singled out to continually repair government budget problems. If they were taking that money to provide treatment or even preventative programs, I would say well done, but .... well to say more would just be redundant.
Medicare to cover obesity treatment....absolutely I am all for it.
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Ben's Mom



Quit Date:
July 6, 2004

Posts: 322
Location: Paradise, California

PostPosted: July 17, 2004 10:47 PM    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just don't know if I want my tax dollars going to pay for someones stomach being stapled or a trip to the gym.

Maybe I am not educated enough on this subject, but dang it all we have all had to quit smoking on our own and that is supposed to be the hardest addiction to kick even worse that heroin!

I also have struggled with my weight even tho I have'nt reached the point of obesity. I have to make choices about what I eat and driving thru McDonalds is not on the list. Yikes, this may tick off a few people and I'm sorry about that but I think it is a relevent conversation/debate considering both smoking and eating appear to me to be more of addictions than anything close to a disease. Although both of them will cause disease. Why one and not the other? Again, aren't we talking about lifestyle issues here? I knew when I smoked it was killing me just as I know when I eat fast food I will get fat.
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Carol



Quit Date:
December 9, 2009

Posts: 631
Location: Wisconsin

PostPosted: July 17, 2004 11:19 PM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Addictions are the disease. Whether or not the disease is physcial or psychological it is still a malfunction of a part of the body. There are many well documented studies that have proven that addictions are hereditary physiological diseases.
That being said. I don't think any of would disagree that most obese people are not happy about their physical appearance. So if then their food consumption is within their control, why are they obese. If we as a nation can provide help to people who are dying from their addictions, shouldn't we do that. Obesity is the #1 killer of our citizens.
Yes we quit smoking without the help of "treatment centers". But how many of us have irreversable diseases as a result of our smoking. How many of us smoked for years and years after we realized it was having an adverse effect on us. Why because we were addicted. And it was not until we found a program that would help us change that behavior were we able to do so. We were powerless......well at least I was.
Having been an addictions counselor for years, I am acutely aware of how much pain is within each and every addict, no matter what the drug of choice. And I am also aware that most of these people by the very nature of their disease are unable to obtain treatment due to financial impoverishemnt. And that society would prefer to "forget" them, as they are not the "pretty" Americans. But they are beautiful people with great potential, and could be great assets to themselves, their families, their country if only they could get control of their lives. Do we as a nation not owe every one of our people that right?
And yes there are some who will never get straight. There are some who will die from smoking related diseases. There are some that will die for obesity related illnesses. Just like every person with cancer cannot be helped, or every person with heart diseases cannot be helped. We all deserve the chance. And yes we as a nation, need to step up to the service of our people.
Well enough for now. I will get off my soap box. But as you can tell I am very impassioned about this subject. Maybe next posting I will tell you why.
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Marvel



Quit Date:
-

Posts: 297
Location: Tennessee

PostPosted: July 18, 2004 11:13 AM    Post subject: Reply with quote

We always seem to pay to fix things rather than to prevent them, but I think what we really need is a serious paradigm shift.

For one thing, we need to get over this love affair with the automobile and rebuild our towns and cities with sidewalks, greenways, areas that people can walk or ride their bikes to without fear of being run over, areas that people will WANT to walk and hang around in. In other words, de-emphasize the automobile and emphasize opportunities to move. And I know this costs lots of money, but I think we'll save lots in the long run, along with lots of lives.

For another thing, I think luxury food items (read junk food) should be heavily taxed. Cigarettes are heavily taxed and they're bad for you and since economics is a powerful disincentive for most people, putting higher taxes on unhealthful foods would discourage their use. It boggles my mind how much crap there is out there to eat (and yes I do eat junk food from time to time), and I really don't think the companies who produce this stuff should be encouraged to produce more. AND I think people who habitually eat junk food should be steered toward eating healthful foods.

Of course, education is a key thing, and we have to show people that eating their fruits and veggies and grains, balancing their diets, etc. will help them live longer and feel better. One big snag is, of course, the fast--paced lifestyle most people have in this country. It takes time to prepare healthful meals, and I think some companies have helped by prepackaging salads, etc. But that doesn't address the fact that most people gulp their food or inhale it, and by the time they're full they've eaten way too much. I did a lot of this shortly after I quit smoking (trying to fill the void?) and I'm relearning how to have a leisurely meal.

I'm not sure if any of these things are possible, but I know they would be a step in the right direction in solving a lot of problems, including obesity. And I for one would prefer my taxes going to improving quality of life than to paying for past mistakes (though I know that has to happen too). Okay, I'm off the soapbox.

Who's next?!
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QD 10/21/2003

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