Weighty Issue

" There is a growing battle in the health care debate literally growing people's waist lines obesity. Here are the two questions. One should obese people have to pay more for health insurance and to. Should then people had to pick up the tab for overweight people if they get sick we report you decide. Giants like this key senior economic writer for the wall street journal editorial page -- I got into a knock down drag out discussion of these last night Steve. I didn't hear this so led them to -- football hall. I could -- ended up back."

" In my you know what this has become one of the real -- points of this health care debate. Of the you know there's a huge section of the bill dealing with wellness and and we do know -- said that. That people who live healthy lifestyles not you know can maintain their weight to idea did get involved in physical activity don't smoke don't drink. They have mug shot lower health care costs and so this is an interesting economic and ethical issue about whether insurance companies should be able to charge people who live healthy lifestyles by holding down their way. Should they charge -- watched them people who'll. Our fat or overweight or. Horizontally challenged or whatever she you don't term that we describe these people -- what I discovered in doing some research on this issue is there's actually a an advocacy group in Washington. Bob -- the advancement down low fat people looking up to their interest and right now the current status is that the insurance companies are not permitted. To -- charge different premiums based on a person's weight."

" And that's at the Clinton I'm -- Hillary -- house and senate finance those both have specific language saying that you cannot cent premium rates. Wait cannot be taken a consideration charging you more now here's some other factors to consider in the debate. 2008. 147. Billion dollars in medical spending. Are on conditions associated with obesity. And the other is the other statistic is that obesity is nine point 1% of all medical spending now that's right what if we can forget a way to get everyone. Set that would be great. That made it started."

" Yeah I look I think I looked out very much in favor of allowing insurance companies to charge different premiums based on a person's. You know person's health and and Livingston styles that I do think that look at five trauma and I'm keeping in shape I shouldn't have to pay the same. Insurance premiums as someone who is way overweight and doesn't work out who each want and where he saw the wrong foods and this is the big issue in the south going to be because if you want to hold down costs and health care we have to do something about obesity is it is a national. -- I and then this is -- an interesting question should you pay the same yes -- unlike you -- pay the same insurance rates is Oprah you know I say no."

" I open it up for our -- I think anybody gets -- higher healthcare system that. -- immediately we didn't fill and Sampras are piecing together the bills what bills oh -- complicated but said that this is I think wellness program with -- incentives they get 30% offers something. But that means if you if you started out bad so if we pass a new -- well the people happen to be out helping you did that 30% up only the people who start off."

" Would have been -- little more -- situation. What we know we we know from out companies that have these insurance plans that that put put financial incentives for people -- Lose weight if there are obese -- for people to engage in physical activity it works very well as you know I've interviewed John MacKey and whole foods he says. By having these wellness programs and incentives for people to lose weight if they're overweight. It has a tremendous impact on people's behavior and it reduce costs so I'm all in favor of this I'm not sure why political correctness is interfering with something that can really reduce health care cost. "

" So there's also some -- it is patently unfair the fact that everything that bit about the thing -- into the work battening it is an -- have been so yeah. Yeah me. He does play at half -- Sunday so much better than a lot of -- I mean maybe you don't think so but I don't it's like you know. I I listen -- this this whole discussion is so unfair and so many people Leo fight the challenge of having an extra weight that. Near the severity of it."

" But here's the point -- not everybody is a victim you know I. I don't wait or they smoke far they had they drank they're not. I'm -- people can change their behavior and I think that's the reason I come down on the on the side of saying yeah let's encourage people financially to engage in fact they look at huge amount of the costs of health care system are -- related. To obesity heart disease stroke cancer diabetes all these things we can really reduce costs and that's what this is supposed to be all about how."

" And one other viewers know Steve said this I didn't and we're gonna get a break Steve thank you very much I thought that I want this argument today that I was quiet I'm relatively quiet I."