by Alex
So I checked the Indiana General Assembly website for bills relevant to public health policy. Literally, I found not much at all. There were four bills: one dealt with mandating electronic health records systems, one talked about a health insurance for children under the age of 24, one proposed a study commission to focus on a single-payer system for Indiana, and finally one redefined the term "dependent" for Indiana Code sake. Suprisingly, only one made it through the first half of the session and it was the last one I mentioned. After awhile I realized why. Property taxes! The issue that is getting all the attention and probably rightfully so. Especially if you are a legislator. Remember the elections this last fall? Unfortunately, we do not have any interesting proposals or bills to cover for our project. Maybe I would think otherwise if I actually paid property taxes?
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Something's Missing
by Alex
There have been a few studies that show it is actually cheaper to treat people who are obese and those that smoke. I have actually heard this brought up by smokers in the campus smoking ban debate and of course I heard it when I worked down in the State Senate when they passed the cigarette tax increase. I don't mean to discredit the actual study. I do intend to discredit those who use it to argue a point. The one thing that they fail to mention is that we are paying for those who are obese and smoke right now. Yeah, we will save money in the long-run because they die earlier, but they have not died yet.
Let us take obesity for example. Over 30% of people aged 45 to 74 are obese (BMI of 30 or larger). Only 20% of those over 74 are obese. People who are obese are likely to die over the age of 74. Therefore, most of the obese population has not made it to that point yet. Now, the lastest statistics show that an obese person's premium cost annually an additional $2,500 against the premium of an average American. Moreover, obese people do not pay the additional charge. Instead, the money is charged to the whole risk pool, increasing everybody's premiums.
In summation, while it may be cheaper to treat those who are obese or that smoke in the long-run, it is not cheap right now. We are certainly paying for it now. Maybe in 10 years when they start to die off earlier it will become cheaper, but right now it is costing a fortune. I think there is something mission from these findings, thanks for listening. (Note: I am not a smoker and my BMI is 22.8. Plus, I do not necessarily support the smoking ban.)
There have been a few studies that show it is actually cheaper to treat people who are obese and those that smoke. I have actually heard this brought up by smokers in the campus smoking ban debate and of course I heard it when I worked down in the State Senate when they passed the cigarette tax increase. I don't mean to discredit the actual study. I do intend to discredit those who use it to argue a point. The one thing that they fail to mention is that we are paying for those who are obese and smoke right now. Yeah, we will save money in the long-run because they die earlier, but they have not died yet.
Let us take obesity for example. Over 30% of people aged 45 to 74 are obese (BMI of 30 or larger). Only 20% of those over 74 are obese. People who are obese are likely to die over the age of 74. Therefore, most of the obese population has not made it to that point yet. Now, the lastest statistics show that an obese person's premium cost annually an additional $2,500 against the premium of an average American. Moreover, obese people do not pay the additional charge. Instead, the money is charged to the whole risk pool, increasing everybody's premiums.
In summation, while it may be cheaper to treat those who are obese or that smoke in the long-run, it is not cheap right now. We are certainly paying for it now. Maybe in 10 years when they start to die off earlier it will become cheaper, but right now it is costing a fortune. I think there is something mission from these findings, thanks for listening. (Note: I am not a smoker and my BMI is 22.8. Plus, I do not necessarily support the smoking ban.)
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