Hey, we are less than the national average!
Excellus Weighs The Costs Of Obesity
Holly Maynard (Rochester, NY) 03/25/04 -- new report by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield says the number of obese and overweight adults in upstate New York increased by nearly 250,000 between 1997 and 2002.
According to the report, about 59 percent of upstate New Yorkers are overweight or obese. The national average is 61 percent.
More obese people means more health problems and more health-related costs. For New Yorkers, those costs soar over $6 billion a year in obesity-related health care services that everyone pays for through higher insurance premiums and Medicare and Medicaid costs.
About 81 percent of New York's total health spending from obesity was publicly funded through Medicare and Medicaid. The national average is 52 percent.
Some of the money goes towards fighting obesity-related illnesses like hearth disease and diabetes, or paying for part of weight-loss programs like Weight Watchers.
Weight Watchers leader Beth Sardone helps hundreds of overweight people every year. She has also lost 50 pounds herself.
"I can understand that those who don't have a weight problem are aggravated because they're paying for someone else, but I think it's great for those that it helps," she said.
To review the Excellus BlueCross BlueShield health policy report on obesity in a PDF file, go to www.excellusbcbs.com. Click on Public Policy & Research. Click on Health Policy Reports. The Obesity Report is the first on the list.
Link
Excellus Weighs The Costs Of Obesity
Holly Maynard (Rochester, NY) 03/25/04 -- new report by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield says the number of obese and overweight adults in upstate New York increased by nearly 250,000 between 1997 and 2002.
According to the report, about 59 percent of upstate New Yorkers are overweight or obese. The national average is 61 percent.
More obese people means more health problems and more health-related costs. For New Yorkers, those costs soar over $6 billion a year in obesity-related health care services that everyone pays for through higher insurance premiums and Medicare and Medicaid costs.
About 81 percent of New York's total health spending from obesity was publicly funded through Medicare and Medicaid. The national average is 52 percent.
Some of the money goes towards fighting obesity-related illnesses like hearth disease and diabetes, or paying for part of weight-loss programs like Weight Watchers.
Weight Watchers leader Beth Sardone helps hundreds of overweight people every year. She has also lost 50 pounds herself.
"I can understand that those who don't have a weight problem are aggravated because they're paying for someone else, but I think it's great for those that it helps," she said.
To review the Excellus BlueCross BlueShield health policy report on obesity in a PDF file, go to www.excellusbcbs.com. Click on Public Policy & Research. Click on Health Policy Reports. The Obesity Report is the first on the list.
Link
