Extra pounds mean insurance fees for Ala. workers

You are an idiot.

I can't say this enough. Not all obese people engage in unhealthy habits. I, for one, see my overweight friends care more about what they eat and watch every little calorie while I watch my thin friends eat all the McDonald's they want and never exercise. You cannot equate unhealthy with obese just as you cannot equate thin with healthy. If you are thin and think you're healthy, try having a physical. Thin people die from diabetes and heart attacks just as often.

Mishelle-437990

"Not all obese people engage in unhealthy habits" Are you a complete idiot? Being obese IS and unhealthy habit. How do you think they got obese. Facts are facts look it up less than 1% of obese people have their thyroid to blame the only thing they have to blame is over eating period. Go to a doctor read a book the American Medical Association will tell you flat out that being obese is UNHEALTHY end of story. Just because someone eats McDonald's does not mean they are unhealthy. However the likelihood that an obese person has diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease is extremely high..........a much higher rate than someone who is not obese......look that up too. I can take 10 obese people out of a crowd and 10 regular sized people and it would be overwhelmingly the obese people that have health problems. Look at the doctors office, how many people in there are overweight. Look at the local hospital(I work in one) the rate of people we see that are overweight with the issues listed above is astounding. We rarely see people of normal weight with the above issues. We see the obese people with these issues younger and younger. Obviously from your comment you are overweight and or obese and are trying to defend your behaviors. I honestly don't care if you want to be overweight or just don't want to do anything about it that is your issue. The issue here is the employers insurance rates are going through the roof and they are deferring the cost to the employees that engage in high risk behaviors such as smoking and being overweight they are not forcing anyone to change their lifestyle they are just putting the cost where it belongs. I am tired of having my rates go up or having to work double shifts because others are out sick( I am speaking from personal experience) there are a number of extremely overweight people where I work and they are perpetually out sick for issues with blood pressure, heart issues and circulation issues to the extremities(at a certain weight your legs especially suffer poor circulation). Also as I said in my prior post sure you watch your calories now however it takes very little intake to maintain your weight it does take extra calories to gain it. Check with a nutritionist they will tell you once the weight is on you can eat a normal persons calories each day and not lose anything it will take calorie cutting and exercise to take it off. Stop acting as if the facts are not the facts likely as not you are neither a nutritionist or a doctor and look up a fact or two. The AMA flat out says obesity is UNHEALTHY end of story and they also have documentation showing that overeating is the majority cause of it more than 99% of obese people are that way because they overeat.

And how many of those nutritionists/doctors/AMA people have ever been overweight? Read my other posts. You will see that the only thing "unhealthy" about me is my weight. 10 to 1 I live and eat healthier than you. It is attitudes like this that encourage eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia. Whether you believe me or not, I could starve myself and gain weight so don't give me your "I'm thin and because I am, I know it all" attitude. Until you have lived in the shoes, you have no idea. You may rarely see people of normal weight with the above health issues, but you do not see all overweight people with those health issues either. I am not trying to say that all overweight people do not overeat and underexercise. My point is merely, not ALL overweight people are unhealthy and overeat/underexercise. To lump us all into one category is much the same as saying all blondes are stupid idiots and all men are arseholes. It is called a "stereotype" and is the biggest societal issue America has. I have absolutely NO problem paying more for healthcare if I use the system more than others. However, I don't. I don't even cost my insurance company half of what I pay in premiums. The only surgeries I have ever had have been a torn ACL from (of all things) exercising , c-sections to give birth and a UPPP and septoplasty to correct a birth defect.

As far as the AMA flat out saying that obesity is unhealthy, have you watched the news lately? They are coming out now that some overweight people ARE healthy. Their documentation is just like any other study. They study a small cross section of the population and apply the results to the entire population. Guess what... statistics, as well as scientists, have been wrong many times in recent history. I am not an uneducated person. I keep up with the news and I pay attention to what the AMA says. I have been overweight my entire life. And when *I* was a kid, we didn't have video games or cable television. If it was sunny, we had to go outside and play. I got plenty of exercise as a kid, even played soccer and did weight lifting and, guess what, I was still overweight.

What do you mean how dare the employer tell them what to do in their off time? The employer is paying for their health insurance. They are footing the entire bill for it the employees of the State pay nothing for their insurance absolutely nothing. This employers costs have gone through the roof due to smoking and obesity and they have the huge premiums to prove it. They are deferring the increasing cost of that insurance to the people engaging in the behavior. They are not saying don't be fat they are not saying you can't smoke. They are saying that because these particular behaviors have been overwhelmingly proven by science to be bad for your health and increase the risks of many many ailments we are going to asses a fee for that choice period. The auto industry does the same thing and no one complains about them doing it. If you speed and get tickets your premium goes up not mine and that is how it should be. Why should the costs be spread out to everyone? Why should I pay more or even the same amount as a smoker or an obese person. I don't smoke, I am of a normal body weight, I exercise and I should not pay the same rates as a person who is overweight or a smoker. I do not choose do engage in those behaviors and I don't have a problem with those that do however as there is scientific proof that those behaviors are detrimental to your health you should pay more than me, end of story.

Perfectly stated.

Ever flown in an airplane next to a fata$$ who can't fit into their seat so their elbows stick out into your neck? How did you like it?

It is not discrimination to have a person pay for habits they have. Life insurance companies have had this in place for years. If you want a certain amount of insurance you do an exam and based on that they give you your rate. This is nothing different. If you engage in unhealthy behaviors the risk is higher therefore you pay more. The auto insurance industry does it too. If you have speeding tickets, parking tickets and accidents you pay more as you are a higher risk to them. This is nothing different. The costs should be deferred to those engaging in the behaviors whether it be smoking, being overweight just as it is with traffic violations. If my neighbor gets a speeding ticket his rate goes up not mine and that is how it should be he engaged in the behavior and he is reaping the ramifications of it not me.

I can't believe how many posts I am reading that equate obesity with no exercise and bad eating habits. When you all get a clue and actually pull your heads out of whatever clouds they are in, you will realize that the percentage of obese people who don't exercise and eat bad is not as high as you would like.

Again you are showing your stupidity. I belong to a gym.......I see no fat people there, I go to the park with my dog.....no fat people there. I go down to to the baseball and soccer fields.....only fat people there are in the stands eating hot dogs and drinking soda or beer. Where do I see the fat people....parking as close as they can get to the local buffet restaurant too be herded in like cattle. I go to my local grocery store....where do I find the fat people, not in the fresh fruit and vegetable area I find them in the soda, chip and cookie isle then only to see them in the frozen foods but not getting frozen vegetables they are buying frozen pizza, ice cream and tacquitos. I am not someone who has no experience in this area a very good friend of mine is and has been overweight for quite a few years. She is the only fat person I have ever heard admit she ate too much. She says lots of fat people say this " I don't eat that much" her own words are this "you may not right now but you did to get this way". Check out the show the biggest loser they admit it why can't you? I guess being fat is like being in jail......you didn't eat the food and no one in prison is guilty either.....LOL what a joke. Take responsibilty for your actions like my friend she admits it. She is a Nurse and flat out says that obese people always try to blame their thyroid she says that is crap and science shows that excuse is crap.

To the post that talks about the airline seats....I completely agree. I paid the same amount as the fat guy next to me and he is half way into my seat......is he going to reimburse me for using half of it? If you take up more than one seat you should pay for it I should not have to pay for a full seat and only get half because someones fat ass is in it. I also contiually see obese people park as close as they can to the store or wherever, maybe if you walked a bit you would not be as fat, worse yet the fat a$ $ that gets the motorized cart in the store, how lazy. My personal favorite getting the disabled sticker for being fat. A lady at my job actually was allowed a sticker because she is too fat. My friend has cerebral palsy and is in braces and on crutches and this fatty takes the last space all the time leaving my friend to walk when do to circumstances beyond her control she has difficulty walking. Oh and don't say she may have other health issues..... because I am sure she does since she is 400 pounds. I have watched her eat and in the year I have been working here I figure she added another 50 or so. Her eating light is a double bacon cheeseburger, chili cheese fries and a vanilla shake and then she goes back for a snack later which is a large bag of chips and a soda. I think making excuses for being fat is lame, blaming the fast food industry is ridiculous as they do not force you to eat is. This country is the fattest on earth........wonder why? Look at the average american diet and the lack of exercise. Quit using obesity for excuses.....child murders and rapists on death row are using "I am too fat to execute" what is next. I should not have to work because I am too fat?

This is the best response I have seen and I think it focuses on the real story. Why are people seeing this issue as discrimination or a way to make everyone healthy? It is simply a revenue generator for the state.

Group insurance is our safety net. For those crying for each person to be charged for their health and lifestyle choice the main problem is that it will raise all of our insurance rates. Imagine if group insurance didn't exist the cost for individual policies is already ridiculous. Insurance companies and our public officials are trying to squeeze out the benefit we receive from group policies.

So as a member of the medical field you know that the BMI is a poor indicator of obesity.
You also know that diabetes and thyroid conditions are hereditary and can directly affect a person ability to control weight. So knowing this you know this practice is discriminatory because they are using bad science.
Along those lines ALL of your cancer patients should pay higher premiuims, since genteics don't need to be considered here.

And while we are at it I want all of you who go to the doctor for a cold/sinus infection/sore throat to pay some of my premuims, since you are basically being subsidized by me to be a complete wimp and not ride it out.

She can also probably tell you that just looking at someone will tell you whether they are fat. The State of Alabama said they were going to charge people with a BMI of 35 or more. A person that is 5 foot 6 inches would have to weigh 220 pounds unless you are a weight lifter that is FAT end of story. They did not say they were going to charge for a few pounds overweight they said they are going to charge people that are obese. Besides 25 dollars quit whinning. My husbands and my health insurance costs 400.00 per month and we are healthy. We don't have any health issues nothing, we take no pills we only go when absolutely necessary and that is rare. I will have you know cancer patients do end up being penalized. They run out of their maximum lifetime coverage and end up with no insurance at all.

I do agree with you on one point. The people that go to the doctor or take their child to the doctor for a splinter or a cold need to be charged as well. The last time I checked there is no cure for the common cold. The only thing you are doing by going to the doctor is taking up his time and costing everyone else and taking up a spot for someone with a real health problem. The same thing goes for the flu the last time I went to the drug store they have lots of flu remedies. The flu shot is almost pointless the run on that every year is flat out stupid. The shot covers only 3 of the hundreds and hundreds of flu strains on top of that they guess the year before on which strains they THINK might be the big ones. You have a better shot winning in Las Vegas than guessing which flus they should put in the shot. Getting that raises costs. The only reason you or a child should go to the doctor for the flu is if the fever is extremely high or will not come down with over the counter meds. This country is a bunch of wimps! People used to go to the doctor when absolutely necessary now they treat it like a trip to the local Starbucks the amount of people filling every doctors office, urgent care and emergency rooms for colds, sinus infections and bumps and bruises is ridiculous.

No one is forcing you to change. No one is forcing you to eat healthier. They are just saying if you make that choice, there's a premium attached because people who spend a great deal of time and effort exercising our butts off and eating healthy shouldn't not be paying for your medical bills due to obesity.

A hundered years ago we didn't have everything in our food and water we have today. our food was produced naturally not with chemicals. our water wasn't full of chemicals. These cause a lot of health problems including weight gain. This is the goverments problem that we all are paying for and the insurance companys are making a profit on. You need to think of what your saying and pray that you don't have problems in the furture sometimes it takes 20 years or more for it to show up. I don't have a weight problem and think you have a problem with people that do.

Actually, I have been overweight in the past. Not obese, but overweight. I had to really dedicate myself to eating healthy and exercising. It took a while, but I am a healthy weight and have maintained it. And it's something I have to constantly monitor and it's DIFFICULT. I watch what I eat. I'm active. So why is it that I drink the same water as my neighbor and he is obese and I am not? You think it's the chemicals in the water? Not the fact that our meals have doubled in size in the last few decades? That we watch more tv and take less walks? Couldn't it be the fact that he comes home with fast food bags while I am leaving to go to the gym?

I don't have a problem with obese people. I have a problem subsidizing them while I work my tail off to maintain a healthy weight. And I have a problem with the fact that common sense has apparently been lost in this country.

I can't believe I just read this post. That is unequivocably untrue. Do you realize that you are considered obese if you are 40 pounds overweight? And if you actually took the time to ask someone who is obese how they feel about it, you might find someone who has tried every possible diet out there and had them fail time and time again. Most people don't just wake up obese. A good majority of people are obese because they have tried so very hard to be thin and had every diet fail. And guess what, they don't need you to remind them of the fact that they are not their ideal weight. Instead, they need help and assistance from someone who actually understands that it is not always about "eat less/exercise more". And, contrary to the popular belief of doctors and people who have never had a weight issue, obese does not necessarily equal unhealthy.

"And, contrary to the popular belief of doctors and people who have never had a weight issue, obese does not necessarily equal unhealthy. "

So basically you are saying DOCTORS and all the research that has been done in the medical community is all wrong? Obesity is not unhealthy? I think you might need a reality check.

I'm 5'9" and weigh 220 lbs, I have a 34" waist and 17" biceps. My BMI is over 35.....am I unhealthy? Is it fair for me to have to pay for my insurance

Yes you are, and yes it is.

I'm guessing that this money is going to pay for the EXORBITANT expense of paying for the medical conditions associated with obesity- heart disease, diabetes, etc.

OK so now are you not only paying an "Obesity Tax", But you're also footing the bill for the EXORBITANT expense of paying for the medical conditions associated with obesity- heart disease, diabetes, etc. How Bogus!

Do they plan to Tax the Anorexic as well? Or maybe those who already may have a heart condition not associated with Obesity? This is retarded.... premiums are already to high for the average worker and family unit. Why do you think so many Americans now don't have insurance and therfore overburdening the insurance and medical industries. Now we have J.... reduce the overall premiums to cover the cost of treatment options and counseling for these conditions...Thats Incentive>>>>

Mishelle, if your doctors are "blaming everything on our weight", then you probably aren't the picture of health that you seem to think you are.

And yes, weight loss is a simple calculation. If you consume more calories than you use, you gain weight. If you consume less calories than you use, you lose weight. This is not rocket science, and regardless of thyroid problems, big bones, genetics, whatever you want to bring up, this calculation holds true. You can't argue with math.

And I would agree that this policy is a form of discrimination. I'd advise you to look up the word discrimination in a dictionary. Discrimination is simply the act of finding differences, and anyone who can't discriminate between things doesn't have a functioning mind.

Hmmmm, let me see, oldcrankyman. I just had a physical which included a stress echo cardiogram. My cholesterol levels are 65 for the good (the doctors like to see it above 60) and 110 for the bad (100 is optimal). For the record, my current doctor does not blame it all on my weight. I don't have diabetes. I don't have high blood pressure. My heart is in perfect condition as are my kidneys and my liver and everything else. The only time I ever go to the doctor is for sinus issues related to allergies that I have had since I was born and for my annual exams. According to my personal trainer, I burn 1900 calories a day just sitting on my backside and yet I only lose weight with less than 1,000 calories. Try subsisting on 1,000 calories a day for a month and see if you don't become oldbastardman instead of oldcrankyman. I am 5'2" and I leg press 220. I can bench 90 pounds (which is not shabby for a GIRL). Lat pull is over 110. I cook meals at home using lean, skinless meat and all natural ingredients (not preprocessed). To lump me together with even a skinny person who eats a triple decker burger every day is a sad commentary on our ignorant society. What most people do not realize is that those of us who are obese started of as just overweight, but many years of trying to live up to "skinny is healthy" standards has totally screwed up our metabolisms. Tell me one illness that obese people have and skinny people are exempt from.

Since you are listing all of your statistics what do you weigh? My guess is you are FAT. Your doctor says you burn 1900 calories a day sitting on your butt. Check a BMI calculator, I put in 5 foot 2 and it said for a sedentary lifestyle(sitting on your butt as you put it) you would burn a maximum of 1700 calories. I don't know who your doctor is but my guess is he got his degree in a cracker jack box since a woman should eat a maximum of 1500-1800 calories a day that means you should be losing weight by the minute. My guess is you don't count the chips and ice cream and all of the snacks in between. Just because no one saw you eat it doesn't mean you didn't. If you were being truthful to the board and yourself about your calorie intake you would lose weight. I am guessing you eat that 1000 calories by the end of breakfast since you weren't even smart enough to look up what the average calories per day for a healthy woman would be nor the amount of calories sitting on your butt would burn. If you truly ate only 1000 calories per day you would lose weight so my guess is you not only lie to yourself but to your doctor and you are truly the only loser in that blame game.

My employer actually tests employees for nicotine........no lying there!!!!!

Challenged in court? Are obese people all of a sudden a "protected class"?

Yes court and yes.

Olivia, they're working on that, and have made some strides in that direction. Pretty much shows the stupidity of having "protected classes" at all, doesn't it?

Excellent paintcraze! As it should be. I have some acquaintances who brag about lying to their employer on the smoking issue.