American Obesity Is it true that the health car cost of treating a fat America is more than Universal Care???

Question

For a lean healthy America.

I heard a Doctor on the radio talk about the expected increase in Fat related illness. He went on to compare the cost of treating fat people to the estimated cost of treating thin people. The price difference is how Countries like Denmark can aford universal care.

Answer 1

Countries that have universal health care logically *promote* individual health and fitness. They don't want the burden on their system. The U.S. privatized system does no such thing because it's bad for business. Big Pharma, Big Agro lose out if people are healthy.

Answer 2

Your question doesn't make sense. If we do not have govt health care then it's private insurance paying to treat the obese and therefore wouldn't effect new taxpayer cost for Universal Healthcare. Additionally, Universal healthcare would include large people, except they'd probably have to wait a very long time for any kind of healthcare as everyone does in country's with universal healthcare.

Answer 3

Well that brings up a question. If there is universal health care, all of those fat people arent going to suddenly get thin, is Univ Health Care going to cover all those costs... if so isnt the cost going to be relatively the same?
Or will they not treat people for those issues?

Answer 4

Have you checked the tax rate for the people of Denmark? Would you (or they) call that affordable? It costs just as much for a doctor's visit for a fat person as a thin person by the way.

Answer 5

Unfortunately we do have socialized medicine....those of us with insurance are paying the outrageous premiums we are so we can cover the millions of uninsured.....who are guaranteed care in the emergency rooms of US hospitals because they cannot legally be turned away. So in turn, hospital pricing is adjusted to cover THEIR costs as well as yours and mine.

Walk into a hospital (I work for a healthcare system, so I do it practically every day) and look around. THe number of people waiting to admitted, in the Emergency Room, etc. with a BMI over 25 (or hanging outside the doors sucking down a cigarette) is mindboggling.

You and I are paying for that my friend.....

Answer 6

Well that just depends. Right now we do have universal healthcare for millions of illegals and millions of unemployed crack heads. I could care less what they do in Denmark. This is America - we have the freedom to get fat if we want to. Deal with it - we have all had enough of the nanny state and surely we don't need anymore government control.

Wow I finally found something I can agree with anthonyi on...

Answer 7

The cost of treating obesity can be very high, but that should be the responsibility of the large patient...not the government.