According to the American Journal of Public Health, obesity surgery has increased by about 600% in recent years. In 1998 14,000 people received gastric bypass surgery, compared to 82,000 in 2002. Insane. This is not a good thing. First, obesity surgery is incredibly risky for the individual. Although techniques have improved, there is plenty of chance that something could go terribly wrong, and there is a decent probability of at least some complications afterwards. Furthermore, if I do remember correctly from a nutrition class I took, it’s fairly difficult to get all the nutrients you need so many patients need to get injections afterwards. Secondly, obesity surgery costs everyone else in the country – through taxpayer dollars or increased health insurance costs. From an ABC News article:
There are several reasons for this increase, such as increased coverage from insurance companies… … not everyone can afford the cost of these operations, which is about $30,000, according to Business Week… … But in February, Medicare started to cover obesity surgery, which will likely expand the patient pool even further, and surgeons hope that other insurers follow Medicare’s lead.
I think obesity surgery should be more restricted. It used to be regarded as a last chance operation, but now it’s becoming more and more widespread. Furthermore, our country needs more emphasis placed on living a healthy life through exercise and diet, and this needs to be implemented when children are young. Physical education classes should last K-12th grade and be taken seriously instead of an “easy A.”
5 Comments for Obesity Surgery Costs Us All
Chris H | June 2, 2006 at 1:41 pm
Author comment by george | June 2, 2006 at 1:45 pm
True, but making the surgery “free” or cheap due to insurance provides less of a incentive to stay healthy, because if someone because obese, they can always get a cheap operation.
Making the gastric bypass a really expensive last resort might make people work harder to avoid becoming obese through healthier means such as diet and exercise. There are plenty of warning signs and plenty of time to avert obesity (with the very small exception of those who have genetic issues that force them to be fat).
Waco Kid | June 2, 2006 at 4:15 pm
I am with jon on this.
Why it does eliminate certain “incentives” towards weight watching. I don’t know how much of an impact it would have.
While I do think it will lead to more consumption (since it reduces the MPC to 0).
I just don’t really see somebody who goes well I could go gain 200 pounds but the surgery is too expensive so I will lose weight instead.
In the long runs what are the impacts for society in terms of future reductions in health care consumption? are there any reductions after the surgery?
Shaniqua | June 2, 2006 at 6:46 pm
Uh-uh.
82,000 out of 300M? What percent of the population is that? I think the percentage is around .027%. Is that anywhere close to the number of crack ho entitlement mothers in the US?
The alarmist tone of the ABC news article really has me worried that I’ll be paying premium increases and higher taxes for people lining up shorten their intestines.
My suggestion is to court order implant a gastric band that is regulated by the caloric intake and weight. When you reach a certain point of consumption the band starts tightening. Of course, there will be malfunctions, but such is progress.
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I agree with you about use of gastric bypass as a last resort.
This isn’t a knock on your whole argument, but you say that gastric bypass costs everyone in the society due to increased health care costs, etc. However, an obese person already costs the population in the same ways, increased medical insurance premiums, lost work, etc.