Should Obese People Pay A Fat Tax?
I’m going to be honest here, I wasn’t really sure I wanted to touch this posting.
My site producer, Richard, sent me a link to a Time Magazine article outlining Arizona governor Jan Brewer’s recent proposal that obese patients on Medicaid be charged a $50 ‘fat fee’. Apparently a plan for losing weight will be available to the patients, and if they refuse to follow it, or don’t slim down, the fee will kick in. Richard wanted to know how I felt about the issue – so here’s my thoughts…
As it turns out the proposal isn’t just about weight. The article goes on to say that similar charges will apply to smokers, and also to people that have chronic illnesses but fail to manage them accordingly. And wouldn’t you know it, it’s estimated that this “plan” will recoup nearly half of the state’s 1.1 billion budget deficit. Sounds a bit underhanded to me and a lot like Big Brother stepping in to regulate, not just legislate, our lives. And since when has money stopped people from their vices? Cigarettes are nearly $10 per pack, and it hasn’t made a dent in the number of smokers.
Please don’t misunderstand me, or misinterpret my words. I’m not a huge political activist (although I have an opinion), or some far left liberal. And of course no one recognizes the obesity and health epidemic more than myself. But is the government over-stepping its boundaries by making you pay if you eat too much, smoke, or have another addiction issue? I think they might be…
Ultimately, I don’t believe the answer is in monetarily punishing people for their issues. In fact, I’d argue that a financial incentive to get healthier might be the better, and smarter, way to go. I think I have a better chance of getting my kids to make their beds and do chores by offering them an allowance, not by making them pay me if it’s not done. And I bet a few extra dollars up front may spark more people to lose weight and quit smoking.
Yes I now health care costs are through the roof from obesity related issues. I also know that I’ve had three surgeries from abusing my body with exercise. How many athletes visit the ER with broken bones, or suffer similar injuries as I did? Should they pay extra too? I thought the point of health insurance was to cover your health, regardless of how you end up ill. Just like auto insurance, the more you use health insurance and visit the doc, the higher your premium goes. So in a way, overweight people are already paying more money for medical costs. And we all know that in the end, they’ll ultimately pay with their life if they don’t change.
A lot of auto insurance companies also reward their drivers with great driving records with lower rates and better premiums. I wonder if Governor Brewer is planning on giving a tax credit to her most fit Arizona residents? It seems only fair that if you make unhealthy people pay extra under the context of abusing the system, then those that don’t use the system should pay less. Yet I don’t see that happening anytime soon.
I think the biggest issue I have with this plan is that it makes obesity, smoking and other addiction issues seem black or white. And we all know there’s much more to it than that. To simply tell an obese person “follow the plan or pay” is silly. What exactly is the plan anyway? Changing ones lifestyle is not an overnight journey, and in some cases is a lifelong challenge. So I ultimately give this plan a thumbs down.
No, I’m not in favor of smoking, drugs, obesity or anything that anyone does that adversely affects their health. But I’m also not in favor of government attacking our dignity. No way. There has to be a better way to help people.
But what do you think? Should we be requiring obese people to pay extra tax? Do you think it would solve anything? I’d love to heart your thoughts – pro and con…
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about 2 years ago
I have never been on state assistance. Neither have I ever been a smoker but I have ALWAYS been obese. I am even right now in my journey STILL obese. I am not for taking away anybodies dignity. I do feel that if someone is trying to help you and they are paying for you to live and giving you health care to do it then WHY NOT abide by their rules. Our tax dollars go toward ading people that need financial help and healthcare help. We know that MANY abuse this by whatever means. Just like I am obese and have been I do not receive these tax dollars but my tax dollars do go in the pot to help with this assistance. I feel that it should be handled and that abuses cut where ever necessary. If these people are willing to continue to give you FREE care then you can at least help your self. Now if it is just people that live their regular lives without this FREE care then NO I do not feel like it is right because every one has liberty. But when it comes down to it Free care should be regulated. It’s free. If someone told you that one of the criteria for a free program that will give you access to a year of free mortgage payments thru the government is if you stop smoking and follow a weight loss regimen, how many would be wearing patches and in the gym or adhereing to whatever that criteria is in order to qualify. I know I would. I am just saying.
about 2 years ago
I’m Canadian, but I’ll comment on this as it doesn’t really matter what health care system one utilizes when it comes to this issue.
As a nurse, I know what it’s like to care for someone who is morbidly obese. I know the costs of the special equipment we have to bring in, the extra staff required just to provided basic nursing care, as well as the supports they require at home. It’s expensive to be morbidly obese. However, it’s expensive to smoke (like you said), have heart disease, diabetes, genetic conditions etc, etc, etc.. WITHOUT being obese. Why are they obese in the first place? Are they going to bother to look into that? As you said, it is by no means a black and white thing and it’s ridiculous to treat it that way. What about those that cannot afford to pay this “fat tax”?
Anyway, this is NOT an upstream approach and will not solve the issue. It isn’t getting to the root of the problem. It’s going to single people out and make them feel worthless. Not really a motivator for losing weight, is it?
about 2 years ago
Sounds more like a silly voting stunt to me anyway.
about 2 years ago
I think the issue is that people (read: legislators) who don’t understand the roots of obesity are trying to in effect cut off the branches to destroy it. They are trying for reverse engineering and winding up with backwards instead.
You know what legislators could do? Wean the US off of grain subsidies that make junk foods cheap. Transfer that money ($8 billion a year on corn alone!) to foods that go to consumers with minimal processing – produce, not products. Without grain subsidies, the cheapest calories wouldn’t be the ones with the most expensive health impacts. It would make fresh produce more affordable, and thus more appealing, than a big bag of empty calories.
about 2 years ago
Best answer I’ ve heard thus far. I think everyone who has had at least one hospitalization from obesity-related issues should be prescribed to watch Fast Food Nation, or the likes thereof. It all begins with a proper understanding of how corporate America wants to keep us addicted to the crap they produce at large investment/profits. There is no understanding of what they are up against. If I were obese and wanted to change, I would want as much information as to why and what was making me that way. Many of them (obese) are not aware of what they are eating!
Great answer- thanks for your awareness- Now, spread it around!
about 2 years ago
I am not smart enough to figure this thing out but to me this kind of plan ain’t going to work. The “fine” that would have to be paid is not enough to deter someone to change their lifestyle all that much.
Besides that….it’s (as others have said) not so black and white. Maybe setting some individual benchmarks for each person by a qualified specialist would….ahhh who am I kidding.
about 1 year ago
This is a tough issue. Alot of people on medicade are low income people and therefore eat alot of foods that are fattening. Alot of them are also in disability,and can’t exercise alot. I do agree something has to change.We have an overweight epidemic in America.
about 1 year ago
My husband unfortunately smokes. We all ready pay a lot in extra tax dollars on those cigarettes that are supposed to go to the state’s health care plan and anti-smoking campaigns. However, the current gov. and legislature wanted to end those campaigns. So, where are the tax dollars going now??
Eating too much, eating junk, smoking, drinking, etc. are all legal activities. Taxing them in order to do them doesn’t stop anyone. They just carve the money out from somewhere else, and the state/gov’t just spends it all away somewhere anyway, it seems.
I am not a fan of gov’t stepping into private business at all. Maybe if someone was on gov’t assistance, then something more could be done – but then again, they are all ready out of money for paying said taxes if they receive assistance.
about 1 year ago
Oh man I could write a book on this. I work at a place where most are overweight. I was myself until 2 yrs. ago I hit rock bottom. I was 63 5′ 10″ and weighed 265 lb. , & found out I was to be a grandfather. I had been a type 2 diabetic for several years. So I decided to change. Today I am around 215 +/ – 2 lbs. I still want to be at 220, most charts still will say I’m fat at that wt.,but the last body fat % was 17%.
After saying all that, Yes I get annoyed at the 300-350 lb. coworkers driving my health insurance up. Especially since I have been taken off all prescription drugs. It’s not easy but it’s worth it. But NO to a Fat Tax ! We do not need the Government making all our decisions. People need to take responsibility for their own actions.
about 11 months ago
in my opinion… no. they don’t need absurd ideas like that. if they do, others will get the wrong idea. next you’ll start seeing them want to charge African Americans a color tax, Asians a foreign tax and thin people, like me, an anorexia tax. even though im not anorexic nor bulimic. then they will start wanting to tax everything. tv tax lcd tax liquid tax crystal tax pixel color nm wavelength tax. even stuff you cant control. you got hurt on the job? go pay the its your fault tax and the don’t blame me tax. we’ve got enough taxes to deal with already.