Depending on where the topic of public funding for obesity treatments takes place, you will get wide differing and often heated debates on the subject.
In researching the topic, most professional, medical or health agencies are only concerned with the health effects of obesity treatment and for good reason. As noted daily across new agencies around the globe, obesity, health and health care costs associated obesity and related disease is epidemic.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicade Services (CMS) and health officials recently announces that Medicare to Pay for Obesity Counseling, but to the best of my knowledge it covers just testing and counseling in a physicians office, it does not include some of the popular Obesity diet foods such as OPTIFAST, ISAGENIX or other low calorie, high protein meal replacement meals or other appetite suppression and dietary fiber supplements all need to lose weight.
Additionally, it does not cover any form of exercise, physical therapy or gym memberships, even if only for the 6 month limitation allowed by the Medicare-Obesity Counseling reforms.
Should your tax dollars be used to fund obesity treatments?
I personally do not feel that the obesity treatments and counseling outlined by Medicare, will be sufficient to address the health problems and a life time of over eating and bad nutrition and exercise habits. In many cases, without any further support from the attending doctor until the next follow up (generally a week later) the patient is left alone with the same foods and no additional support.
Should your tax dollars be used for Obesity Diet Foods?
The basic cost of the OPTIFAST and ISAGENIX diet foods are about a $100.00-$125.00 per week. OPTIFAST products are basically an assortment of protein drinks, ready made or powders, a protein bars. OPTIFAST also offers vitamins dietary fiber.
ISAGENIX, is a complete cleanse and fat burning system that also contains low calorie, high protein meal replacements shakes, vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber supplements and chocolate snakes to reduce cravings. What sets ISAGENIX apart from OPTIFAST is the cleanse that also rids the body of toxins and stored fat.
Isagenix is also designed as a lifestyle change, not a temporary diet. Once on Isagenix products, he is best to stay on them for optimal health, nutrition and continued weight management. OPTIFAST is designed to be rapid calorie restriction diet as a precursor to Bariatric sugary and not a long term diet and lifestyle change.
Other health and disease complications associated with Obesity.
People with obesity generally also suffer from diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea and also suffer from hypertension (high blood pressure). I can tell that prescription medications to treat any of these symptoms on a monthly basis is more that the cost of the OPTIFAST or ISAGENIX diet foods. This is not including any visits to the doctors office for routine visits or complications.
Other Options for obesity treatments.
The other option is an expensive lap band or Bariatric or Weight loss surgery is both complex and costly. For example, the average cost for the gastric bypass procedure ranges from $18,000 to $35,000, while the average cost for adjustable gastric banding withLap-Band ranges from $17,000 to $30,000.
Generally, prior to Bariatric sugary, patients are usually required to lose weight prior to any Weight loss surgery, so there is an additional cost to the patient of 4100-4125.00 a week.
Should YOUR Tax Dollars Fund Obesity Treatments?
I think they should, the burden of an growing obesity epidemic and an already strained health care system needs to get the problem fixed and soon. Obesity and obesity related diseases and illness will soon be the number killer and it is cheaper to allow not only for obesity counseling, but also for the diet foods needed to bring weight under control and even short term gym memberships, that is will be to pay for expensive Weight loss surgery, continued treatments for hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, etc.
The arguments and often heated debates I have read in various online forums are steadfast against public funding for obesity treatments. This is especially true when it comes to diet foods, but many people don not understand that the majority of people affected by mild or severe obesitytend to be lower income, women and now children. These people are generally on some type of public assistance because they are generally unempoyable due to obesity and the health limitations that comes with obesity related complications.
So, if you can help obese people lose weight, and limit or reduce some of the immobility and health restraints, then we can return people back to society and become a more productive part of society. This saving will be 10 fold vs not allowing for public funding for obesity treatments.
What Are Your Thoughts? Should Your Tax Dollars Fund Obesity?
