Should obese individuals be denied healthcare under reform unless enrolled in an exercise and diet program?

Question

So according to research..

"Medical Problems  - Less than 2 percent of all cases of obesity can be traced to a metabolic disorder, such as low thyroid function or hormonal imbalances."

That means the 98% of the obese in this country have no excuses other then they eat more then they should and are too lazy to exercise to stay in shape. So, us as taxpayers are basically paying extra because these people refuse to take care of themselves. We will have to foot the bill when they are hospitalized because they decided to eat themselves into a heart attack, diabetes, or any other medical condition that arises from being grossly overweight. 

I find it hard to believe this 98% of obese citizens cannot find thirty minutes a day to do any form of cardiovascular exercise when they spend more then that most likely while overeating. 

So, my question is. Should the obese citizens of America be forced to enroll themselves in an exercise and diet plan in order to be covered under the benefits of this new health care reform? The cost of this exercising and dieting plan will be much, much less then the costs pertaining to hospital visits and surgery because of obesity related illness.  

As someone who takes care of himself and watches what he eats, I find it absurd that I will have to pay my hard earned money to fund the medical costs of extremely high risk individuals who refuse to change their destructive behavior. 

Would you want to pay the medical bills of someone who knowingly shoots themselves? There is very little difference between these individuals, except the obese of our nation cost much more over the course of a lifetime due to multiple, if not dozens, of hospital visits because of their poor health and habits.

I believe by making them enroll in some type of exercise program, not only would their quality of life improve, many of the potentially life threatening results of obesity would be prevented.

? · Accepted Answer

This would probably create more problems than it would solve.

If you are going to penalise obese people perhaps smokers and drinkers should be penalised as well.

Perhaps anorexic people should be penalised as well.

People who have accidents through their own fault should perhaps be penalised as well.

Lacie · Answer

1

Anonymous · Answer

I see your point but it would never fly. First off you got the people who would say (rightly or wrongly, I don't know) that their obesity is linked to a mental disorder. "I eat too much because I suffer from depression" or "Overeating is an addiction, like any other" Also, where would it end? You can't target obese people and their life style, and leave smokers or alcoholics or even dangerous drivers alone. Tax payers are already paying for poor lifestyle choices. Not to demean anyone who actually requires assistance, but aren't you already offended that you pay so people can have 11 kids they can't afford and live off welfare? Yes I realize obesity seems to be an epidemic in the states but really you can't single out one group of people and force them to change their lifestyle.
I have to agree though it would change some lives for the positive.

imbriale · Answer

purely before each and every thing. After the authorities racks up some trillion in new debt: smoking, ingesting, not exercising, or being overweight will be unlawful. the authorities will arise with thousands of disclaimers that make you ineligible for coverage. If expenditures get undesirable adequate, they could commence throwing fat human beings in detention center. i'm not even kidding - you lose "effortless" coverage in the U.ok. if you're deemed overweight or if you're a smoker. If we did that right here, we would want to finally end up with a effortless device that covers a lot less human beings than the present marketplace-depending one. 50 million uninsured now (being beneficiant)? nicely, provide it to three hundred million then take it far flung from the 30 million those who smoke and one hundred million fat human beings. Taxes in simple terms went up so 80 million human beings might want to lose coverage. It in simple terms would not artwork. If there is no result for own selections, the authorities has to come back in and rigidity it one way or yet another. Or, lets pretend there is limitless wealth and in simple terms bypass deeper into debt until eventually the dollar isn't even worth a peso.

Alex · Answer

Without a doubt in my mind! our health care system would not be in the turmoil that it's in right now if this was done 30 years ago when obesity really started steamrolling like it did. I am not a fan of the health care reform, but if I am being forced into it, then the very least that can be done to reduce the cost is force the non-medical obese people to workout. much like they do in Japan and China. If we like there socialist system so much, lets make sure to add in all the parameters!

? · Answer

No they should no be forced to, American is a free country. As soon as that happens is when the next hitler rolls around. It is wrong to even have a thought, for example what id someone said that your to skinny and you had to gain weight? Or that you were to stupid and had to stay in high school. Your freedom would be the last thing you wanted revoked right? The other people feel the same wat and no one gives a dam whether you are healthy or not.

Trending News

Should obese individuals be denied healthcare under reform unless enrolled in an exercise and diet program?

6 Answers