Starting in 2010, the State of Alabama is planning to impose a $25 health insurance surcharge to state employees deemed obese. Is this so-called “fat tax” going too far?

My husband IS overweight...We have tried every diet under the sun..After fighting with him to have surgery and he finally agreed, the insurance company says "NO, that's a luxury surgery" and they won't pay...Even though his weight is lift threating the insurance would rather pay for about 15 different meds each month than help him lose the weight..Meds that he wouldn't need if he lost the weight..And very few people can afford to pay $15,000.00 out of their pocket for the surgery...So NO the state should NOT be able to add a tax to people that is overweight..Insurance Company's are the one states should be made to cover a weight lose progam and surgery's....

Hi Rachael!

For years the government has approved putting all kinds of chemicals on and in our food. They charged the public more to put these chemicals in our food and these chemicals cause all kinds of health and weight problems and some of these chemicals that they approved make you want to eat more. Now they want to charge people for them being overweight?

It's almost impossible for anyone to find any food that is completely organic since our soils have been infested with all these chemicals for so long. I think the government should help people get back in shape and get healthier, but to charge them for something that they caused is an outrage.

Thank You,

I love your shows!

Kathy Shepard

Where do we draw the line on interference in peoples personal lives? The newspapers are full of businesses that have cheated and overcharge customers for their services. There will always be an excuse to charge more for someone being overweight and I'm sure it will start to escalate to the point that no one will have insurance unless paying some rediculous price. What happens to those who are on meds that cause them to be overweight? There are people who are overweight but in good health. We do need better food products without all the additives and sugars and extra salt. I have a hard time shopping for healthy ready made food items.

I don't "read" this as a government tax. It is a bumped up cost that people will pay on their insurance premiums who work for that state government.
I do not agree that people cannot pay for good food. I know that people buy soft drinks, cigarettes, fast food, packaged food in the grocery, coffee from the corner store, etc. If these same people would use those funds, they could make nutritous meals at a reasonable price for their families that are also low fat, low sugar, etc.
People have become very lazy and are too ready to blame everybody but themselves for what is wrong. Take personal responsibility to do the right thing.
There are definitely people in our communities that are having a difficult time with feeding themselves. Make donations and work at the organizations that are helping these people.

The discussion included people not being able to afford nutritious food. The government designed the food stamp program for those in need to buy nutritious, low-cost food. While working at a grocery store, I saw first hand people buying candy, cakes, soda, and carts full of junk food with food stamps. There is a great need for food stamps, especially in this economy. It should be for NUTRITIOUS food. If people need assistance, why can't they buy toilet paper, soap, shampoo, ect. but can buy junk food.

I found it ironic that right after this discussion we were shown how to cook a steakhouse dinner at home for two people. The steaks shown were huge and way too big for an individual portion. Those 2 steaks and side dishes should feed a family of four.
This is why there is an epidemic of obesity in our country, because our food portions keep getting bigger and bigger.

Absolutely ridiculous! It is a matter of support and education that win the battle. I want to propose a challenge to Rachel and audience. I went from being a middle income nurse to disabled and on food stamps as a result of poor health. I too believed to eat healthy was too expensive since I dieted off and on fighting my weight. I was forced in February to get a handle on my diet or risk dying young.
There are simple "roadmaps" handed out by Dr's, Dieticians, and Nutritionists to tell you which foods to eat and avoid for your specific health issues. Learning how to cook with these alternative ingredients is where the challenge begins. Cooking with whole foods, no processed or boxed items is time consuming. I am still in the process myself, but use Rachel's shows to guide me on flavor and food prep. Rachel, you are my one and only!
I have learned to prepare extra and freeze in portions so when I am on a time crunch or burnt out cooking, I can select from the freezer and reheat like one of those expensive TV or healthy meals!
Once I purged the house of what I cannot have (and that is many normal foods), that made a HUGE difference in compliance. When you eat healthy whole foods, you eat a lot less because it actually satifies you. It becomes a matter of changing your behaviors of eating to deal with your emotions and boredom.
I would like to see Rachel lead the way to show how to select, buy, and create yummy dishes without use of processed, high fat, or high sodium ingredients.
We need to be more proactive as a nation and less judgemental of others. If you see a problem add some ideas to change it!
I look forward to some new ideas for my new lifestyle cooking!
Me? I have lost over 20 pounds, got rid of hundreds of dollars worth of medicines, my skin has improved, and I am still looking forward to losing another 68 pounds, more medications, and get rid of the C-pap for sleep apnea woo hoo!

I can see why the topic would come up. Obesity is a big issue today. But we really need less government in our lives. Giving the govt control of a Fat Tax is just another little way to let them rule our lives.

The thing that really got me was the comment Rachel said about Mom's writing in saying htey couldn;t make recipe becuase they couldn't afford things like broccoli.

Frozen anything can be subsituted for fresh in so many cases and is just a fraction of the cost of fresh usually.

Also how many of those people are buying junk food and then can't afford healthy food. Look in their cupboards and you will see why people can;t afford fresh produce becuase they fridge and cupboards are stocked with chips, soda, ice cream etc... Junk food is not cheap! Also things for convenience, pre-made frozen dinners, pop tarts cereal etc...

All it takes is a little chnage in life style. If you still can't afford to eat healthy then yes you do need help but don;t go whining until you have made an effort yourself.

I think that this is a great thing. When you think of all the health issues associated with obesity - diabetes and heart disease just to name a few and the expence of healthcare for these issues, the insurance companies spend more on claims for clients with weight problems than for those at a healthy weight, why shouldn't they pay more. Premiums for all go up because health insurance companies pay more in claims for obese individuals and I shouldn't have to pay for someone elses health care. It's bad enough that I have to pay for those on welfare and medicaid when I'm struggling to put food on the table for my family. It's time for people to take responsibilty for what they put in their mouths, McDonalds isn't cheap anymore it's just easy and you can grill a chicken breast and have a salad at home for less money.

Yes! Definitely going too far.

My daughters have a genetic disease called PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). It has many different effects on the body and one of those causes weight gain due to the hormone imbalances. Most times it cause infertility. But we know someone who has PCOS and had Gastric Bypass surgery and she only lost 18 pounds in a year and a half. All that money and she still couldn't lose weight.

The tax is quite unfair. Especially to those who don't have a choice. Are they going to tax the anorexic or those who are too thin?

Deborah

I know that it is a growing epidemic (as the thin girl replied on the show), but, a lot of people struggle and don't enjoy being heavy, can you imagine what the "fat tax" will do to peoples self image, don't you know they already know they are fat? I am disabled, I have gained 60 lbs in four years, I hate me...I was always the thin person, and would still feel this tax is soooo wrong, how dare the government feel they have the right to disrespect others...as for the comment on the steak dinner? don't fix it then..or share it with your family..Rachel gives "ideas" for dinners,not have to's.

This nation's health care system is focused on treaatment and medicaication for illnesses and ailments. out heath care system does not focus on prevenative care and wellness to keep us healthy. there is no profit in healthy people. Whoopie stated that it is what people eat thatis making them obese. i agree. not just what they eat, but also what they belive to be healthy and not realizing that it isn't as healthy as they thought. High fructose corn syrup is in almost eveything. from condiments to bread to sour cream to pasta sauce to yogurt and sour cream. it is used as a perservative, but i believe it also is why people are more obse today. Since it is in almost everything it is hard to consume it in moderation which it waht the FDA recomends. people need to be more active in reading lables, portion control and exercise. losing weight is not about dieting it is about lifestyle change and taking on a new way of living. walking for 30 mins every day will have a big impact on your over all health. it may seem hard at first to do a 30 min walk, but it is well worth the efforts and in a week it will get better. i am obese at the moment but makeing lifestyle changes everyday. when i starteded a walking regime i walked 3 times weeks and in about 2 weeks i could do the whole walk with out having to stop to catch my breath. as far as the tax the government wants to impose, i believe that it would be wiser to reform health care to be more focused on prevenative care, wellness and health education, then just treating disease and ailments.

Going way to far. What about people with disabilities, that can not exercise at all? No matter how I eat, the only way I can loose weight is to not eat at all. There are millions of people out there with disabilities, so on top of suffering from illness or other disabilities we are going to tax them because they are over weight?

There are so many more issues in reguards to being overweight, than not eating or not exercising. Medical and emotional, among the many other reasons, that have nothing to do with how a person eats or exercises.

Lets put more money twards fighting disease rather than taxing fat people. This has to be one of the most ridiculous ideas, I've heard in a while!

My issue was not whether the tax is fair or not, but rather the fact that people actually believe eating healthy has to cost more. I grew up in a family of six with a very health conscious mother who fed all of us three meals a day for only $100 a week. We ate whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies and never went hungry. Eating well is possible at any price point. Not having enough money is a lame excuse in my book. From my experience shopping it cost more to buy pre-prepared foods that are not as healthy. The obesity issue in America is not going away and I applaud any movement that pushes people to be more healthy, however, I don't think the fat tax will change people's waist lines. This only happens when people want to change. That being said, I am all for people who are unhealthy and obese having to pay more for health insurance. They cost more to keep healthy-so they should have to pay more.

Yes, I agree that obesity is a huge problem in this country. Yes, I agree that there are plenty of things wrong with the way we eat in this culture and that should be changed. I also think that the government goes to far with regards to intruding in our daily lives and there are ENOUGH taxes that eat away at our paycheck. However, there are places where government can step in where it would be appropriate. I think where government can step in where this topic is concerned, however, is how big portions can be in restaraunts. The government can start including preventative care and allow gyms and dieticians as part of things that are included in an insurance plan.

I think it's wrong when we start dictating obesity via BMI. For instance, an athlete can be 5'9 and 220 lbs., however, he/she is all muscle, but according to BMI, they're considered obese. It's a guideline. It's an archaeic measure of obesity that should be updated.

What also needs to be considered is that it is a misconception that obesity automatically leads to terrible things like diabetes and heart disease, etc. No, it's not healthy...but people who live healthily still have health problems. Yes, lifestyle has a lot to do with it, but so do genetics.

Also, why do people assume that just because someone is obese it means that they are not healthy? I've been overweight my whole life, and yet I do not have heart disesase, type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure. According to my last check-up, a month ago, I got a good bill of health. Bottom-line: obesity is just one factor leading to possible health concerns.

hmm, isnt it kind of the same as people getting charged more on insurance for being a smoker. it drives me up the wall when ppl say that they cant afford healthy food. im sorry i think thats bs. a large bag of lays potato chips is the same price if not more than a 5 lb bag of carrots. MAYBE if people would change their lifestyles and MAYBE choose to eat healthy rather than eat a bunch of crap food we wouldnt have this problem. and as far as diets to try to lose weight. Have any of you ever seen the biggest loser, you know what you have to do along with dieting....try exercising for a change. and diets arent going to work immediately. SO, long story short. how about next time you go to the grocery store, you walk through the produce section instead of the junk food isles. i dont feel sorry for ppl that are overweight. its not a disease, its laziness and lack of a proper diet.

Just like the Govt to "TAX" something as a solution to the problem. I believe that at least one of the reasons we in America are overweight is due to the food we have to eat. The contents of so very many packaged foods contain things other than FOOD. My Mom made pickles and she never used "high fructose Corn Sirup" in her pickles or any thing else she baked or canned. Some of the ingredients cannot even be pronounced and I have serious doubts that they are needed or good for us.
What we need is the Government to clean up our food supply and return it to something healthy for all of us to eat.
Note to restaurants: make the portions smaller and lower the price, more of us will eat "out" and we won't eat too much while there.
I would love to see our meat (beef, pork, poultry, etc return to natural, range free, grass fed, not pumped up with growth hormones and goodness knows what else.
Note to Schools: more exercise and less junk food. Promote good health and fitness as much as teach us reading, writing, arithmetic.
Note to parents:remove the video games and take your kids to the park, walk, run, breath fresh air. Stop the insanity of using TV for a babysitter and video games as an activity, sitting in front of a TV pr computer for hours on end is not and activity.
Okay I'm done ranting. Just know I am opposed to any such TAX it is Going Too Far.

Just for the record folks, I've read a lot of ranting about the government going to far. This is local not federal and each state, Alabama included, has the right to tax there resident for what ever there locally elected official feel is right. If Alabaman don't like it than they should make there voices heard by calling there representitives and complaining. If that doesn't work elect someone else next time. This is not a federal tax.

--- Edited by cebrphillips at 2009-05-22 19:23:16 ---

--- Edited by cebrphillips at 2009-05-22 19:24:42 ---

The Tax is going too far but I definitely agree these moms certainly can afford to buy nutritious food even fresh most stores have fresh fruits and vegetables every single week and of course there is frozen that's on sale every single week too. By cutting out all junk food there would be money left for decent meals they don't have to be fancy but they can be nutricious. AS for Rachael's steak dinner looked delicious and it was packed with veggies what was unhealthy, even the steak is a good protien also if you recall this was a special meal not meant for every day her point was it was a fancy meal done at home alot cheaper than going out and it was very healthy.

I think that it is going to far. Yes the majority of America is over weight, and I am one of those, but to put a tax on me or someone like me is stupid. It is not like some people don't try to lose weight it is just that they are unable to because of health reasons. I did like the idea that if the money was going to help people get food or help them in some way that would be good but the goverment already takes enough of our money as it is. I live from pay check to pay check as it is and i don't need any more taxes taken out of my check. So if I lived in Al. I would not like it. Lets help all those out there that can't afford to get the right kind of food so that they can eat healthier and there children can too. We need to teach our childern how to eat healthy so that we can stop being over weight. I also think that being to skinny is not good. Being a healthy size is good.