Under an Arizona Plan, Smokers and the Obese Would Pay Medicaid Fee

Speeders R Murderers · Jun 1, 2011

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/31/us/31questions.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha24

Under an Arizona Plan, Smokers and the Obese Would Pay Medicaid Fee
By TIMOTHY WILLIAMS
Published: May 30, 2011

Arizona, like many other states, says it is no longer able to finance its Medicaid program adequately. As part of a plan to cut costs, the state has proposed imposing a $50 fee on childless adults on Medicaid who are either obese or who smoke. In Arizona, almost half of all Medicaid recipients smoke; while the number of obese people is unclear, about one in four Arizonans is overweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The states plan must ultimately be approved by the federal government. Monica Coury, spokeswoman for Arizonas Medicaid program, discusses.

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Speeders R Murderers · Jun 1, 2011

$50 isn't much but we all know it will rise drastically if this plan is adopted.

Why does this plan only apply to childless adults? That seems unfair.

waltky · Jul 18, 2012

Granny says she gonna put some in candy wrappers an' put `em inna candy dish fer when Uncle Ferd's g/f's come over...

US regulators approve new weight loss drug
17 July`12 - US regulators approved the second new anti-obesity drug in 13 years, Qsymia, for use with exercise and a good diet in people who are obese or overweight with certain medical problems.

Some analysts have touted Qsymia as the next "blockbuster", akin to the best-selling cholesterol drug Lipitor, with the US market desperate for new treatments for the two-thirds of the population that is overweight or obese. But critics fear it carries side effects that could be dangerous, like speeding up heart rates and causing birth defects, and warranted further study before being approved for widespread use. "Qsymia, used responsibly in combination with a healthy lifestyle that includes a reduced-calorie diet and exercise, provides another treatment option for chronic weight management in Americans," said Janet Woodcock, director of the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

The drug, which was formerly known as Qnexa, is approved for use in people who are obese, meaning they have a body mass index of 30 or higher, or in people who are overweight and have at least one related condition like diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure. In two randomized, controlled trials of around 3,700 obese and overweight patients followed for one year, the highest doses of the drug were associated with an average weight loss of between 6.7 percent and 8.9 percent over a sugar pill. "All patients received lifestyle modification that consisted of a reduced calorie diet and regular physical activity," the FDA said.

Made by California-based Vivus Pharmaceuticals, Qsymia contains phentermine and topiramate, two drugs that are already on the market for aiding weight loss and preventing seizures. Some doctors already prescribe the combination as an off-label use for helping patients manage their weight. The FDA warned that Qsymia "must not be used during pregnancy because it can cause harm to a fetus," as studies have shown an increased risk of babies being born with cleft palate when women taking the drug became pregnant. It must also not be taken by patients with glaucoma or hyperthyroidism, and may increase heart rate so should be avoided by people with heart disease.

The Food and Drug Administration last month approved Belviq by the US company Arena Pharmaceuticals, making it the first new weight loss aid to hit the market since 1999. An advisory panel to the FDA urged approval of Qsymia in February, after warning against its approval in 2010 due to safety concerns. The FDA said the drug should be taken for an initial period of 12 weeks, and if patients have not lost at least three percent of their body weight by then, the dose may be increased. If the patient does not achieve a loss of five percent of body weight by week 12 on the higher dose, then treatment should be discontinued, the FDA said. Critics have raised concern about the drug's tendency to increase heart rate and the risk of irregular heartbeat. The United States has approved and later banned a series of diet drugs, mainly over excessive risk of heart attack and stroke.

More http://news.yahoo.com/us-regulators-decide-weight-loss-drug-160715828.html
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reallybigjohnson · Jul 18, 2012

Except for the childless part I am fine with it. In fact every company I have worked for since......forever has charged higher premiums for employees who smoke. I am a bit more skeptical of the obese thing because while the majority of obese people are just lazy and eat alot......and lazy.........and REALLY eat ALOT! I do know a couple of people that once they got to a certain age their metabolism just slowed to a crawl. Even though they work out and eat less than I do they are still big and jolly.......well ok not so jolly.

liberalminority · Jul 18, 2012

they can't do that , thats a federal program who do they think they are adding prejudiced provisions like that ? whats wrong with them going after hispanics now this

people can't help that their addicted to macdonalds and smoking cigs, they need free counseling services not penalized financially

waltky · Aug 25, 2012

Gallstone risk to obesity for teens...

Gallstone risk 'higher among obese teenagers'
24 August 2012 - Teenagers who are overweight or obese are much more likely to develop gallstones, compared with peers of a healthy weight, US research suggests.

Healthcare providers Kaiser Permanente looked at 510,000 children aged 10-19. The study, in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, found 766 had gallstones. It found those who were overweight were twice as likely as those with a healthy weight to have gallstones - the rate was higher among those who were obese. Those who were moderately obese were four times more likely to have gallstones than those with a normal body mass index, and this rose to six times for those classed as extremely obese.

A UK obesity expert said it was yet another sign that obesity-linked disorders were being seen at increasingly young ages. Gallstones are small stones, usually made of cholesterol, that form in the gallbladder. Often they do not cause any symptoms, but if one becomes trapped it can trigger intense abdominal pain. They can block the passage of bile into the intestine, which in turn can cause severe damage or infection in the gallbladder, liver, or pancreas and - if left untreated - can be fatal.

'Historically rare'

Gallstone disease is linked to increased weight in adults. The team from Kaiser Permanente looked at electronic health records of the teenagers, who were all enrolled in its Southern California Children's Health Study. There was a stronger association between weight and gallstones in girls than in boys. Lead author of the study, Corinna Koebnick, said: "Although gallstones are relatively common in obese adults, gallstones in children and adolescents have been historically rare. "These findings add to an alarming trend - youth who are obese or extremely obese are more likely to have diseases we normally think of as adult conditions."

National Obesity Forum chairman Prof David Haslam said the fact gallstones were being seen in obese teenagers was not surprising - but that it was worrying. "We know there is a link between the condition and obesity. But yet again we are seeing an adult illness in young people - because of obesity. "We have already seen Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Now it's gallstones. "And because these conditions are coming earlier, deaths will come earlier."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19367278
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Bluespade · Aug 26, 2012

liberalminority said: ↑

they can't do that , thats a federal program who do they think they are adding prejudiced provisions like that ? whats wrong with them going after hispanics now this

people can't help that their addicted to macdonalds and smoking cigs, they need free counseling services not penalized financially
Click to expand...

The sad thing is, there are actually people out there that think like this.

waltky · Aug 23, 2016

Citrus Fruits May Head Off Obesity-Related Diseases...

Antioxidants in Citrus May Head Off Obesity-Related Diseases
August 21, 2016 - Eating citrus fruit could head off chronic diseases that are related to obesity, a growing health problem in many parts of the world, according to a new study.

Diabetes, heart disease and liver disease are increasing as more people pack on the kilos. But theres a substance in citrus fruits called flavanones, which are antioxidants that help peoples bodies reduce the amount of oxidative stress. The diseases linked to obesity are caused by oxidative stress and its related inflammation. When humans consume a fatty diet, their fat cells produce reactive oxygen species that harm cells. When fat cells become too large, which they do in obese individuals, they produce higher levels of reactive oxygen species that overwhelm the body, causing inflammation and disease. Researchers say antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables, such as citrus flavanones, help fight reactive oxygen species and reduce oxidative stress in animals that eat a high fat diet.

Paula Ferreira, a graduate researcher at the Universidade Estadual Paulist in Brazil conducted the research. The month-long experiment by Ferreira and colleagues involved 50 mice, feeding them either a normal diet, a high fat diet, or a high fat diet with three flavanones. Investigators found the mice that ate a high fat diet, but no flavanones, had significantly higher levels of cell damage, than mice that ate a normal diet. Mice on the high fat died had 80 percent more cell damage markers in their blood and 57 percent in the liver compared to rodents fed a normal diet, report researchers. But mice fed a high fat diet plus the three flavanones - hesperidin, eriocitrin and eriodictyol - had a reduction in cell damage markers compared to mice on a standard diet. Reductions in the liver ranged from 50 to 64 percent depending upon the flavanone given compared to those on a high fat diet alone.

Clementines and oranges

Researchers said the obese mice became healthier consuming citrus flavanones even though they did lose any weight. Our results indicate that in the future, we can use citrus flavanones, a class of antioxidants, to prevent or delay chronic diseases caused by obesity in humans, said Ferreira. Its also possible, said researchers, that citrus could be beneficial to people who are not obese but eat a fatty, Western-style diet, she said. Ferreira said the best way to get flavanones is to drink them, like orange juice. Many of the citrus juices, because citrus juice has high amounts of ... these compounds.

The researchers presented their findings at the American Chemical Societys annual meeting in Pennsylvania, the largest scientific society in the world. Investigators next plan to conduct human studies, to see whether its healthier to give citrus flavanones in juice or pill form, or whether they have the same effect.

http://www.voanews.com/a/antioxidants-in-citrus-may-head-off-obesity-related-diseases/3473962.html
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tkolter · Aug 23, 2016

If someone is on SSI and deemed disabled any fee would be discriminatory to the disabled under the ADA since Obesity would be part of their disability profile. And in any case the Federal Government would need to approve this I don't see that likely when they won't ban clearly junk food from the SNAP program which would do far more to fight obesity.

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Under an Arizona Plan, Smokers and the Obese Would Pay Medicaid Fee

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Under an Arizona Plan, Smokers and the Obese Would Pay Medicaid Fee

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