Feds to monitor BMI

TXgolfer

TXgolfer

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Feds to Monitor Obesity as White House Promotes Obama Cook to Senior Position

Published July 17, 2010
| FoxNews.com

As the Obama administration sets its sights on overweight Americans, demanding obesity ratings for all citizens by 2014, the White House has promoted the Obamas' personal cook to a senior advisory position.

Sam Kass, the 20-something Chicago chef, is now the White House "Food Initiative Coordinator," Kass' title reportedly was upgraded last month from food initiative coordinator to senior policy adviser for health food initiatives. His duties have not changed.

The change comes as the Health and Human Services announced this week that under the stimulus law, health care providers must establish "meaningful use" of electronic health records to qualify for federal subsidies or risk seeing their Medicare and Medicaid payments slashed. The electronic health records must include Americans' body mass index, or BMI, height and weight.Critics say the BMI is unreliable and the ratings will lead to more government intrusion.

Supporters say the ratings will serve as motivation for weight loss.

"The fact we're now tracking BMIs', I think knowledge is power for us," nutrition expert Mitzi Dulan told Fox News."There are a lot of people that don't know their BMI and it's denial.

Dulan noted that a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that $147 billion is spent annually on obesity-related costs, or 10 percent of medical costs.
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:lol:
 
Great! All we need is a National Menu for school lunches: gooey, soggy oatmeal in all its healthful glory. I get dibs on the honey sales, though.
 
Insurance companies have been monitoring records and BMI ratings for their covered individuals for years. This is nothing new.
 
jillio said:
Insurance companies have been monitoring records and BMI ratings for their covered individuals for years. This is nothing new.
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Sure there is....now the government is doing it. Huge difference. It will be interesting to see the way they use (abuse) the info.
 
TXgolfer said:
Sure there is....now the government is doing it. Huge difference. It will be interesting to see the way they use (abuse) the info.
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Now the government is providing insurance coverage. That is the only reason that these stats are used. And Medicaid and Medicare (both government provided insurances) have been doing it for years. Like I said, nothing new. Just a scare tactic of "OMG! The government is going to start dictating what you eat!" Nice try.
 
jillio said:
Now the government is providing insurance coverage.
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They are? For everyone??? uh oh


That is the only reason that these stats are used. And Medicaid and Medicare (both government provided insurances) have been doing it for years. Like I said, nothing new. Just a scare tactic of "OMG! The government is going to start dictating what you eat!" Nice try.
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The government will have the info for everyone now......that's new.

Scare tactic? Well, how they chose to use use the info remains to be seen. There are ways that type of info COULD be abused by both liberal and conservatives.......whoever might be in office at the time.
 
TXgolfer said:
They are? For everyone??? uh oh




The government will have the info for everyone now......that's new.

Scare tactic? Well, how they chose to use use the info remains to be seen. There are ways that type of info COULD be abused by both liberal and conservatives.......whoever might be in office at the time.
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It doesn't say anything of the kind. It says that doctors and other health care professionals must provide the information for "meaningful use." Meaningful use being insurance coverage. It does not say that the federal government will receive this information on all citizens.

Attempting to project use other than that intended is indeed a scare tactic. Again, nice try.

How exactly would you abuse information regarding someone's BMI?
 
hurryup.gif
 
And the definition of meaningful use is????? lol

The electronic health records must include Americans' body mass index, or BMI, height and weight.
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BTW you didn't answer my question. :)

As for yours......There are ton's of ways they COULD abuse the info. Whether they will of course remains to be seen. I can see ways just off of the top of my head but will not offer them now for a lack of desire to spawn 100 micro debates. Frankly, if you cannot see a way government COULD abuse/improperly use this information, Democrat or Republican, you are probably not worthy of debating on the topic. No offense.
 
abuse/improperly use this information...... how?

and corporations have far more private information on us than government does and the only difference is... corporations abuse/misuse it far more than government does
 
TXgolfer said:
And the definition of meaningful use is????? lol



BTW you didn't answer my question. :)

As for yours......There are ton's of ways they COULD abuse the info. Whether they will of course remains to be seen. I can see ways just off of the top of my head but will not offer them now for a lack of desire to spawn 100 micro debates. Frankly, if you cannot see a way government COULD abuse/improperly use this information, Democrat or Republican, you are probably not worthy of debating on the topic. No offense.
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Did you miss the part about "electronic health records?" That tells it all. What are health records used for? Doesn't take a rocket scientist.

Still attempting to create an environment of fear. Silly!

Provide an example of how someone's BMI coud be abused since you seem to think there are so many ways it could be.
 
Jiro said:
abuse/improperly use this information...... how?

and corporations have far more private information on us than government does and the only difference is... corporations abuse/misuse it far more than government does
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Think.......brainstorm even. It's healthy.
 
jillio said:
Did you miss the part about "electronic health records?" That tells it all. What are health records used for? Doesn't take a rocket scientist.

Still attempting to create an environment of fear. Silly!

Provide an example of how someone's BMI coud be abused since you seem to think there are so many ways it could be.
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See post 15 :)
 
TXgolfer said:
Think.......brainstorm even. It's healthy.
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Still waiting for your example. You are the one that seems to think these abuses are likely. We simply want to know how you think this information will be abused. Surely, since you are so insistent that the abuse is possible, you have also considered exactly how that abuse would occur.
 
Jiro said:
computing........ search not found.

list a few examples?
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No...... I will allow you to believe there is absolutely no way the government could use your health information in a bad way. I would hate to use scare tactics on ya.
 
jillio said:
Still waiting for your example. You are the one that seems to think these abuses are likely.
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I just read the book 1776.....it was interesting. Books are good for long waits. :)


We simply want to know how you think this information will be abused.
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Never said will......said could. :)
 
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