State to hit obese workers with 'fat fee'

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: Eeezee
Why do people always assume that fat people eat lots of big macs... I'm fat (240 lbs at 6'2") but I don't even eat fast food. I exercise regularly and I don't eat eat any worse than most of my thin friends.

Experience. I don't eat fast food, but I walk by the places all the time and I see who's coming in and out and very large number of them are fat.

KT

 

[Eeezee]

Originally posted by: TechBoyJK

Originally posted by: SunnyD
While I really don't care about this much, I can see the lawyers rubbing their hands together with glee. Discrimination plain and simple. (Of course one could say the same about smoking, but in the case of smoking it's no so much a fine as it is in this case, but the gray area is huge - pun intended)

descrimination on some counts is merited.

like... do we have to pay more for insurance for fat people? we do, ok, so we take more out of the fat persons pay check.

or... do we need someone tall to work the stock room? we do, ok, so lets not hire someone in a wheel chair that can't do the job.

But now you're fucked; on average, African American men have higher health care costs. Time to charge them more, too?

For that matter, men have higher costs and more emergency service utilization than women, and that drives up healthcare costs, too. Time to charge men more than women?

 

[SirStev0]

Originally posted by: Eeezee
Why do people always assume that fat people eat lots of big macs... I'm fat (240 lbs at 6'2") but I don't even eat fast food. I exercise regularly and I don't eat eat any worse than most of my thin friends.

Is this $25 just for insurance? It seems reasonable; fat people cost more in insurance. But if you're going to start charging differences, then I'd rather they drop the health insurance all together, give everyone an equal raise (the cost of the health plans), and let the employees pick their own health insurance.

You wouldn't even be close to the cut off. At 6'2 240lbs your BMI is like 30. You are just barely obese.

At your height, you'd need to be about 275lbs to get the extra 25$ charge. That is a huge difference.

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: Eeezee

Originally posted by: TechBoyJK

Originally posted by: SunnyD
While I really don't care about this much, I can see the lawyers rubbing their hands together with glee. Discrimination plain and simple. (Of course one could say the same about smoking, but in the case of smoking it's no so much a fine as it is in this case, but the gray area is huge - pun intended)

descrimination on some counts is merited.

like... do we have to pay more for insurance for fat people? we do, ok, so we take more out of the fat persons pay check.

or... do we need someone tall to work the stock room? we do, ok, so lets not hire someone in a wheel chair that can't do the job.

But now you're fucked; on average, African American men have higher health care costs. Time to charge them more, too?

For that matter, men have higher costs and more emergency service utilization than women, and that drives up healthcare costs, too. Time to charge men more than women?

Race and gender are not a choice (for the most part), but being a fatty is (again, for the most part).

KT

 

[krotchy]

Why do people keep saying Obesity is a disease as more and more people get obese? Sure some people have a hypothyroid and other issues that make weight control difficult, but some people just don't know how to properly feed themselves or handle portion control. Yet all obesity research tries to lump both groups as one and call it a disease.

 

[SirStev0]

Originally posted by: KeithTalent

Originally posted by: Eeezee

Originally posted by: TechBoyJK

Originally posted by: SunnyD
While I really don't care about this much, I can see the lawyers rubbing their hands together with glee. Discrimination plain and simple. (Of course one could say the same about smoking, but in the case of smoking it's no so much a fine as it is in this case, but the gray area is huge - pun intended)

descrimination on some counts is merited.

like... do we have to pay more for insurance for fat people? we do, ok, so we take more out of the fat persons pay check.

or... do we need someone tall to work the stock room? we do, ok, so lets not hire someone in a wheel chair that can't do the job.

But now you're fucked; on average, African American men have higher health care costs. Time to charge them more, too?

For that matter, men have higher costs and more emergency service utilization than women, and that drives up healthcare costs, too. Time to charge men more than women?

Race and gender are not a choice (for the most part), but being a fatty is (again, for the most part).

KT

And lets not forget that they won't charge you, if you start making progress towards fixing this. For instance cut salt out. It is pathetic how much salt we put on things. There is a start right there.

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: krotchy
Why do people keep saying Obesity is a disease as more and more people get obese? Sure some people have a hypothyroid and other issues that make weight control difficult, but some people just don't know how to properly feed themselves or handle portion control. Yet all obesity research tries to lump both groups as one and call it a disease.

Don't they call alcoholism a disease now? It's just to give people with no self control an excuse I guess. Addiction maybe, but disease? I don't think so.

KT

 

[TechBoyJK]

Originally posted by: Eeezee
Why do people always assume that fat people eat lots of big macs... I'm fat (240 lbs at 6'2") but I don't even eat fast food. I exercise regularly and I don't eat eat any worse than most of my thin friends.

Is this $25 just for insurance? It seems reasonable; fat people cost more in insurance. But if you're going to start charging differences, then I'd rather they drop the health insurance all together, give everyone an equal raise (the cost of the health plans), and let the employees pick their own health insurance.

it costs alot more to do that individually than lumping all the employees together and buying as a group. even if you have to pay $25 to get insurance from your employer, its still going to be cheaper (in most cases) than you going out and buying it yourself (if you can find it).

 

[dbk]

Just pay the money and enjoy the food. It's only $25! Hmm...Popeyes

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: krotchy
Why do people keep saying Obesity is a disease as more and more people get obese? Sure some people have a hypothyroid and other issues that make weight control difficult, but some people just don't know how to properly feed themselves or handle portion control. Yet all obesity research tries to lump both groups as one and call it a disease.

You have never heard of handtomouthitis: the inability to eat healthy and in moderation?

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: BurnItDwn
I don't understand why people are so concerned about "footing the bill" for fat people.

Everybody dies eventually.

Fat people usually run into heart problems SOONER than thin people, but usually they die faster. I'd think that over the entire course of their lives, thin people would be much more expensive since they will likely survive well past retirement and get medicare and ss benefits for a LONG time.

And the obese will still cost more due to the number of complications, diseases, hospitalization, medications, etc that they will require compared to a healthy thin person.

 

[Eeezee]

Originally posted by: SirStev0

Originally posted by: Eeezee
Why do people always assume that fat people eat lots of big macs... I'm fat (240 lbs at 6'2") but I don't even eat fast food. I exercise regularly and I don't eat eat any worse than most of my thin friends.

Is this $25 just for insurance? It seems reasonable; fat people cost more in insurance. But if you're going to start charging differences, then I'd rather they drop the health insurance all together, give everyone an equal raise (the cost of the health plans), and let the employees pick their own health insurance.

You wouldn't even be close to the cut off. At 6'2 240lbs your BMI is like 30. You are just barely obese.

At your height, you'd need to be about 275lbs to get the extra 25$ charge. That is a huge difference.

I agree, but it's a slippery slope The limit today is higher, but tomorrow it might not be

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Pepsei
if smokers have to pay more, the massive eaters should... then we need to add alcoholics, oh oh those people who are into extreme sports, and people who like to sleep with multiple partners.

Let's eliminate meat from our diets and make Taco Bell into the only restaurant in town, then we can all sit around and sing "I'm an Oscar Myer Weiner."

 

[Eeezee]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman

Originally posted by: BurnItDwn
I don't understand why people are so concerned about "footing the bill" for fat people.

Everybody dies eventually.

Fat people usually run into heart problems SOONER than thin people, but usually they die faster. I'd think that over the entire course of their lives, thin people would be much more expensive since they will likely survive well past retirement and get medicare and ss benefits for a LONG time.

And the obese will still cost more due to the number of complications, diseases, hospitalization, medications, etc that they will require compared to a healthy thin person.

Most of the complications, hospitalization, medications, etc. are going to be experienced by your average thin person as old age sets in, just due to different reasons.

Actually, there are several studies that show fat people are often healthier than thin people except regarding heart disease.

Being thin doesn't make you healthy, it just means you're thin. You're less likely to develop heart disease, but you're much more likely to develop a plethora of other diseases.

And the generic "disease" label... well, like I said, thin people are actually less healthy than fat people (except when it comes to heart health). Those heart problems are expensive, but since thin people get everything else... I'd suggest that they even out at best, increase costs due to thin people at worst

 

[Eeezee]

Originally posted by: KeithTalent

Originally posted by: Eeezee

Originally posted by: TechBoyJK

Originally posted by: SunnyD
While I really don't care about this much, I can see the lawyers rubbing their hands together with glee. Discrimination plain and simple. (Of course one could say the same about smoking, but in the case of smoking it's no so much a fine as it is in this case, but the gray area is huge - pun intended)

descrimination on some counts is merited.

like... do we have to pay more for insurance for fat people? we do, ok, so we take more out of the fat persons pay check.

or... do we need someone tall to work the stock room? we do, ok, so lets not hire someone in a wheel chair that can't do the job.

But now you're fucked; on average, African American men have higher health care costs. Time to charge them more, too?

For that matter, men have higher costs and more emergency service utilization than women, and that drives up healthcare costs, too. Time to charge men more than women?

Race and gender are not a choice (for the most part), but being a fatty is (again, for the most part).

KT

You used "for the most part" for each of those phrases. What's the difference? You can change your gender, and you can change your physical appearance (and obviously there are exceptions to both - some people are medically unable to go through a sex change, just as some people are medically unable to be thin)

You can be born male, and you can be born with the fat gene. Genetics plays a role, and you have to deal with the cards you're dealt with. If we're going to charge more for being fat, then why aren't we going to charge more for being male?

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: Eeezee

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman

Originally posted by: BurnItDwn
I don't understand why people are so concerned about "footing the bill" for fat people.

Everybody dies eventually.

Fat people usually run into heart problems SOONER than thin people, but usually they die faster. I'd think that over the entire course of their lives, thin people would be much more expensive since they will likely survive well past retirement and get medicare and ss benefits for a LONG time.

And the obese will still cost more due to the number of complications, diseases, hospitalization, medications, etc that they will require compared to a healthy thin person.

Most of the complications, hospitalization, medications, etc. are going to be experienced by your average thin person as old age sets in, just due to different reasons.

Actually, there are several studies that show fat people are often healthier than thin people except regarding heart disease.

Being thin doesn't make you healthy, it just means you're thin. You're less likely to develop heart disease, but you're much more likely to develop a plethora of other diseases.

And the generic "disease" label... well, like I said, thin people are actually less healthy than fat people (except when it comes to heart health). Those heart problems are expensive, but since thin people get everything else... I'd suggest that they even out at best, increase costs due to thin people at worst

Yet the numbers don't bear that out and why insurance costs are higher for fat people and why states, companies, etc are trying to get people to exercise, lose weight, etc to reduce the cost of health insurance.

 

[polarmystery]

They should adopt this nationwide. Nobody likes fatties.

 

[Linux23]

Originally posted by: polarmystery
They should adopt this nationwide. Nobody likes fatties.

Or the dummies.

 

[Deeko]

Before you whineys get to your whining, actually read the article. For starters, they aren't charging you for being fat - they're charging you for being fat and not using the FREE services available to try to help your health. More importantly, it's called insurance - have you ever noticed that if you cause a crash, or get a DUI, your car insurance goes up? You cost the insurance company more, you pay more. Why in the hell shouldn't the same apply for health insurance?

Plus....it isn't just for run of the mill "fatties", it's for seriously obese people. If you have a BMI of 35+, you've got bigger issues to deal with than $25/month on your health insurance. That's pretty massive.

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: Eeezee

Originally posted by: KeithTalent

Originally posted by: Eeezee

Originally posted by: TechBoyJK

Originally posted by: SunnyD
While I really don't care about this much, I can see the lawyers rubbing their hands together with glee. Discrimination plain and simple. (Of course one could say the same about smoking, but in the case of smoking it's no so much a fine as it is in this case, but the gray area is huge - pun intended)

descrimination on some counts is merited.

like... do we have to pay more for insurance for fat people? we do, ok, so we take more out of the fat persons pay check.

or... do we need someone tall to work the stock room? we do, ok, so lets not hire someone in a wheel chair that can't do the job.

But now you're fucked; on average, African American men have higher health care costs. Time to charge them more, too?

For that matter, men have higher costs and more emergency service utilization than women, and that drives up healthcare costs, too. Time to charge men more than women?

Race and gender are not a choice (for the most part), but being a fatty is (again, for the most part).

KT

You used "for the most part" for each of those phrases. What's the difference? You can change your gender, and you can change your physical appearance (and obviously there are exceptions to both - some people are medically unable to go through a sex change, just as some people are medically unable to be thin)

You can be born male, and you can be born with the fat gene. Genetics plays a role, and you have to deal with the cards you're dealt with. If we're going to charge more for being fat, then why aren't we going to charge more for being male?

The difference is the overwhelming majority of people have no choice with respect to race/sex, but the overwhelming majority of people do have a choice to be fat/thin.

If you have the choice to be thinner/healthier, but choose not to be, then why the hell should I pay for your healthcare when you inevitably get ill because of it.

KT

 

[Gooberlx2]

Originally posted by: Harabec
Being fat is "bad luck" and "a chronic disease"?

It is if you have something like hypothyroidism...or whatever it's called.

OTOH, any such ailment should be found out by the health screenings, offered free treatment, therefore making positive results, therefore the person doesn't get charged the premium. So that argument is basically null and void, IMO.

 

[Mo0o]

Seems like another way to hold down poor people. It's probably cheaper for them to pay the 25 dollar fee a month than it is to switch to much healthier foods and find time to exercise after coming back from their crappy job.

They should have weight loss incentives rather than the opposite

 

[imported_Imp]

Does this mean I can't gain 200 pounds, become morbidly obese and safety inspect from home anymore?

 

[fishjie]

i agree wholeheartedly

but BMI alone is a stupid indicator. they also need to factor in body fat %, because bodybuilders have very little, and they should rightfully be exempt.

oh and some fatty pix. yes these lumbering monstrosities need to be punished. 1, 2, 3

 

[Wheezer]

Originally posted by: God Mode

They are weak which is why they succumb so easily to the advertisements of bad food.

Blaming fast food advertisers for your inadequacies is equivalent to blaming video games or music for teen suicide.

If everyone did what a TV told them this world would be in far deeper shit than what it is now.

Yes you're right. Advertising and cultural influence has absolutely no effect on people. We are all very independent and we never look to other people or entities for advice and lifestyles.

I see these same ads everyday and drive by it everyday, and I cannot stand such inferior food.

it is about self-control...not the control others have over you.

Yep. We're all losers if we like anything you dont like and we are out-of-control hooligans if we cant control every aspect of our lives. Yes, the democracy in the US easily lets me escape ford commercials and obamathons on tv so I could make my own unbiased decisions without hostile interference.

There is an alternative to eating at either a fast food joint or a "healthy cuisine restaurant " and that is cook healthy meals at home......it is better for you and will save you money.

I only wish I could have the sheer willpower, time, mental health and uprising that you posess. I also wish I could mill my own grains, overhaul my engine and build my own house with a screwdriver and pliers. Your solutions intrigue me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter. You see, I'm human and I have a lot of vulnerabilities. I need help on how to manage and juggle a better life but mcdonalds keep sending me coupons and a lot of other companies wont stop leaving me alone.

and you are typical...you blame others for the misfortune you created yourself.

Your like the smoker who is sucked in by the Marlboro man.

I have been both overweight and an a smoker, I do not care that people are fat, I do not care that people smoke...eat away and puff away all you want, but goddamn it....don't bitch when you can't walk from your front door to the mail box because you are so obese, or when you get winded walking up some stairs because your lungs are black from smoking and then have the audacity to blame someone else for your stupidity.

No one held a gun to your head when you stuffed that cheese burger in your face or took a drag off that cigarette.

Be a fucking grown up and realize that personal responsibility lies with you...the individual.