Comments on: Fat Tax In Alabama, Indiana

By: Dee Dee

Dee Dee — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:58:54 +0000

I see the need for helping people own responsibility for their health, but I too think it would be more profitable to encourage instead of penalize. I am wellness consulant and a certified weight management coach, and have been telling people for years that they will either pay now or pay later. This not exactly what I envisioned, but I am not surprised. I have always know that prevention is cheaper than the alternative, but most people don’t look at their health maint. like they do car maint. Why? Because of the broken system we have that pays when we’re sick, and makes us pay to be healthy. What would be better would be to add taxes to the unhealthy choices, and help lower the cost of the healthy ones. The impetus is not to help people be more healthy, it is just to keep the profit margin for insurances at a ‘healthy’ ratio.

By: Amy

Amy — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:51:59 +0000

I live in Alabama and work for the State of Alabama, and my BMI is right at 35 even though my doctor considers me slightly overweight and not obese because of my height and build, so you know I’m pissed off about this.

By: afrodisia

afrodisia — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 05:23:58 +0000

All the more reason for me to leave Alabama!

I’m all for healthy living. But how about making a buying a salad cheaper than buying a burger and then start talking about how much the govt cares about folks being healthier (notice I did not say skinnier)?!

This is just a ruse to milk poor folk for their dollars.

By: v'ron

v'ron — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:45:00 +0000

I wonder what Clarion’s co-pay is on things like high blood pressure meds?

If Clarion charges an $5 for high blood pressure, and the co-pay for the prescription to bring it down is $10, which would you do?

That’s rich. And a very good question.

By: There'sMoreToYouThanJustFat

There'sMoreToYouThanJustFat — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:18:18 +0000

I’ve been thinking about this all day.

What happened to our rights to eat, smoke, fuck, love, hate, spend, save how ever the hell we want to.

Why is it that I am an adult, I can buy a home, own a business, get married to the man I love, but the government wants to tell me what I can or cannot do with or to my body.

We need rights, and we need to stop being viewed as a segment of the population that needs help. We do not need help, we do not need ridicule, we do not need approval, we do not need rules on food, we do not need rules on weight loss or gain.

Why don’t these people do something that will really help people instead of picking on the fat kids.

By: withoutscene

withoutscene — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:28:04 +0000

This is all getting crazy. The Indiana thing really hits home and makes all these rights violations really hit home for me. I know it shouldn’t have to hit home for it to sink in, but it sure helps. I’m pretty sure Clarian is the hospital chain I see hocking bariatrics on TV most often here. See, this is where if I were able to be a full-time fat activist and weren’t in grad school, I’d try to organize the workers against this. It’s craziness.

My mom is a nurse at a hospital in Ohio. They are doing the anti-smoking thing and in fact, have made it so that no one can smoke *anywhere* on the property…not in the parking lot in their cars with the windows rolled up…nada. And I’m sure they’re “encouraging” them to stop smoking. For awhile my mom was wearing a patch at work because she couldn’t smoke…but then she’d come home and smoke, which uh, is not healthy.

How are these things not considered employment discrimination or creating a hostile work environment? Rights over profits, srsly. Anything in the name of health. We need to figure out how to combat this craziness, and soon.

By: Bree

Bree — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:58:21 +0000

Madge brings up a good point. Many athletes have BMI’s of 30 and up, but more than likely are healthier than those who are not obese and overweight. So if they worked for the state, they’d be slapped with this charge.
Which is why companies and industries should NOT LOOK AT BMI AS AN INDICATOR OF HEALTH!!!

My BMI is 49 (*egads*)! Someone get the lap band! But except for IBS and anemia (which my mother also has and is not weight-related). I’m healthy and have no heart issues. This fat chick isn’t dropping dead anytime soon.

Yet, because of a stupid number, they want to penalize a group of people, label them as unhealthy, and further shame them into becoming what they think is ideal. Sickening.

By: Emily

Emily — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:42:51 +0000

We DEFINITELY need anti-discrimination laws. And insurance companies to get a f****ing clue!

I would like to second this. Completely unrelated to weight, I had to go ROUNDS with my dental insurance company about the fact that they won’t pay to build up a part of my mouth where a tooth is MISSING, to put in another tooth. She informed me “we dont pay for any grafts where there is no tooth”. I attempted to ask her “why in god’s name I would get a bone graft if there was already a damn tooth there?!!” but she didn’t seem to see what I was saying. In the end I paid the whole thing out of pocket, so I didnt have a big whole in my face.

Insurance companies……..BAH.

By: littlem

littlem — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:11:35 +0000

I wonder if they’re considering taxing those who take part in high-risk sports

*smirk* I’d pay to see that.
The rest of it is just Huxley come to pass. *shudder*

The only thing is that when I was reading him when I was a nerdy little kid, I didn’t think I’d see it come to pass in my lifetime.

By: Living400Lbs

Living400Lbs — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:37:02 +0000

I wonder what Clarion’s co-pay is on things like high blood pressure meds?

If Clarion charges an $5 for high blood pressure, and the co-pay for the prescription to bring it down is $10, which would you do?