An overweight America comes with a hefty price tag By Nanci Hellmich, USA TODAY
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An overweight America comes with a hefty price tag
By Nanci Hellmich, USA TODAY
Americans' extra weight costs the nation as much as $93 billion in annual medical bills, and the government pays about half of that amount, a federally funded study shows.
This is the highest estimate yet of the medical costs of overweight and obesity. It's comparable to the annual medical bill for smoking, which was estimated at about $76 billion a few years ago.
The new study by three economists, funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, includes direct medical costs but not indirect costs such as time off work.
Almost 65% of people in the USA are either overweight or obese. Overweight is defined as roughly 10 to 30 pounds over a healthy weight; obesity is 30 or more pounds over. People who weigh too much are at an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, many types of cancers and other illnesses.
The researchers used existing data to compare medical costs for overweight and obese people with the costs for people of normal weight. Their findings, in today's online issue of Health Affairs:
Overall, annual medical costs for an obese person are about 37.7% more, or $732 higher, than the costs for someone of normal weight.
An obese recipient of Medicare (a program for the elderly) costs $1,486 more a year than one of healthy weight.
An obese patient on Medicaid (a program for the needy) costs $864 more than a normal weight Medicaid recipient.
The annual medical spending attributable to overweight and obesity is about 9.1% of national medical costs. Those attributable to smoking range from 6.5% and 14.4%.
"There is an ongoing debate about whether obesity is an individual or societal issue," says the study's lead author, Eric Finkelstein, a health economist for RTI International in Research Triangle Park, N.C.
"The fact that Medicaid and Medicare, and ultimately taxpayers, are financing half the cost lends credence to the notion that obesity is not solely a personal issue."
Others say this study is a wakeup call. "The government is going to get slam-dunked in future obesity costs if it doesn't address the problem now," says Anne Wolf of the University of Virginia Medical School. She has studied the economics of obesity. "As the population ages and the prevalence of obesity continues to rise, Medicare is going to be picking up the health care tab for these people."
1.Why is obesity a problem in America today? What do you think has change over the last 50 years in terms of obesity.
2. How do you think obesity as affected the American economy?
3. Do you think obesity is an individual or a societal issue? Defend your answer.
List some strategies that Americans can use to overcome obesity.
Explanation / Answer
1. Why is obesity a problem in America today? What do you think has change over the last 50 years in terms of obesity?
Obesity is one of the biggest problems in America today. It is taking away most of the medical budget and the health budget allotted for the whole of the nation. Reason is that the obese people are more prone to diseases like heart disease, diabetes, many types of cancers and other illnesses. More than half of the population is either obese or overweight which means there will be a requirement of medical and health insurance for them and it will take away substantial amount of money to help them out and it collaborate stands for a bigger problem.
In the last 50 yrs. Or above, the medical bills which the government helps every individual with has substantially increased as much as 93 billion dollars which is almost 22% higher compared to previous years and is highly affecting the nation's progress.
2. How do you think obesity as affected the American economy?
There are direct expenses associated with the obesity; the government has to pay the medical bills for the individuals who are caused due to being overweight or obese. The annual medical costs for an obese person are 37.7% higher, compared with someone of normal weight, that also results in Medicare costs $1,486 more a year compared with someone of normal weight and Medicaid costs $864 more than a normal weight recipient. In total, the extra weight costs the nation as much as $93 billion, and the government pays about half of that amount, look at the load it has on the economy and the economic development of a country. Ideally, out of the total budget, the annual medical spending attributable to obesity is about 9.1% of national medical costs which is of course a pain for any nation, in terms of stabilising their economy.
3. Do you think obesity is an individual or a societal issue? Defend your answer. List some strategies that Americans can use to overcome obesity.
In my terms, obesity is a societal issue as it is impacting the whole society and not only limited to affecting any individual. There are several factors involved, as we have read that it is taking most of the annual budget and spend on the medical costs required for obese help, and the money supported by the government in this regard is only paid by the taxpayers. Ultimately, it is people's money which is being used for paying off the medical expenses of the whole country and that also include the obese people. The point comes why the people should pay for the obese when they are not able to maintain themselves and it is taking up the efforts and money from the whole society.
List some strategies that Americans can use to overcome obesity.
1. There could be daily exercise camps arranged in the localities and in the municipal parks, so that people can go and exercise daily.
2. There could be a fixed limit to be sure that, if somebody is overweight after a certain cap, they will not be funded with the medical insurance benefits.
3. Those who are more than a certain weight cap should not be benefitted with Medicaid and they will have to manage their medical expenses themselves.
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