Tag Archives: health care

South Carolina to Cover 100 Employees’ Weight Loss Surgeries

Starting in January, 100 obese South Carolina government workers will have a chance to get their weight loss surgery completely paid for.

Yahoo News reports that under the pilot program, South Carolina’s state employee insurance plan will cover weight loss surgery for 100 workers on a first come, first serve basis.

The test program was put in the 2024-11 budget to address the state’s growing obesity problem. The obesity rate in South Carolina has doubled since 1990, with an alarming 30 percent of adults classified as obese. According the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly two out three adults in South Carolina are overweight or obese. (more…)

Posted on August 24, 2023 by Kelly

Control Your BMI and Control Your Health Care Costs

Guest blogger, Carol Dunlop is certified through FiTour as a Personal Trainer and through the American Red Cross as a CPR, AED and First Aid Instructor. She has competed and placed in several Fitness America and National Bodybuilding competitions. To receive your free E-course “How to Burn Calories While you Sleep,” visit her website: OptimumBodySculpting.com.

Starting in 2024, the federal government is requiring doctors to record your BMI (Body Mass Index), a measurement of your body fat and muscle mass based on your height and weight, in their electronic records. It doesn’t have to be a scary thing. If you start to address it right now, this extra piece of information can be used for your good health.

These three little letters have caused so much talk and controversy in recent days. Everyone is wondering how it will be used in the future against you, i.e., higher insurance rates, possible “obesity tax,” etc.

But, there’s no need to panic. You can take control of your situation by putting together a plan of action that includes sensible eating, regular exercise and lifestyle changes.

Check out these simple steps to put in place  now to avoid the “I’ve got to do something!” syndrome later.

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Posted on August 7, 2023 by GuestBlogger

How Electronic Health Records will Help Americans Shed Pounds

Pulse offers Electronic Health Record and Practice Management solutions nationwide in more than 26 medical specialties. Since 1982 Pulse has focused on its mission to develop, market and support health care practice work flow solutions.

The picture of American public health is about to get much clearer thanks to HITECH, a provision of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The ARRA HITECH stimulus package incentivizes doctors to convert their practices from traditional paper records to Electronic Health Record (EHR) technology. EHRs have many advantages over traditional paper records, including increased efficiency, reductions in healthcare-related errors, and the ability to view the aggregate patient data in order to better understand the overall health of the populous. The aggregation of this data will arm public health officials with the insights they need to better understand causes and effects related to diet and weight. (more…)

Posted on July 20, 2023 by GuestBlogger

What the New Meaningful Use Standards for Electronic Health Records Mean

On Tuesday, the federal government issued new standards that will reward the “meaningful use” electronic health records. Hospitals and doctors could potentially receive up to $27 billion over the next ten years for equipment to computerize patients’ medical records. The government feels the changes will help lead to higher quality and more reliable health care.

For example, doctors will now use electronic systems to store patient information normally kept on file, such as date of birth, sex, weight, height and blood pressure. It will also include health information such as medical conditions, smoking habits and medications. Doctors will also have to transmit 40 percent of prescriptions electronically.

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, “Meaningful Use” has three major components. (more…)

Posted on July 15, 2023 by Margaret

One Nation Overweight on CNBC Tonight

The obesity epidemic in the U.S. is well documented. And while the first thing that comes to mind is the impact on our citizens’ health, there is a monetary cost involved that is staggering, as well. That’s why a cable business channel like CNBC is devoting an hour-long special on the issue tonight.

Obesity is the number one health crisis in America today. Over 200 million of us are in danger of obesity-related illnesses. And obesity costs us $147 billion every year.

CNBC, whose tagline is “First in Business Worldwide,” takes on the impact obesity has on business. The show takes viewer “where the waistline meets the bottom line.” It’s a problem that not only affects those fighting weight problems, but everyone else in the pocketbook as well.

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Posted on May 18, 2023 by Jason

Circus Fat Man Not So Shocking Today

The folks over at Modeled Behavior have presented an interesting, if not profound, point about obesity in modern society, and how perception of obesity has changed over the last 100 years.

At the turn of the 20th century, Chauncey Morlan traveled in a circus sideshow as a “freak.” Referred to as the “Human Freight Car,” people came from all around (and paid money) to see him. You see, Chauncey’s obesity was considered a spectacle at the time. But today, we see people like him on a regular basis.

Morlan passed away at 43 years old of Bright’s disease, a term for kidney disease that is no longer used.

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Posted on April 29, 2023 by Jason

Obama Health Care Bill’s Hidden Agenda for Weight Loss

While people on the left and right are debating the more popular issues regarding President Obama’s health care bill, if you look deeper into the legislation, there is Section 4205. This bit of the bill requires all restaurants with more than 20 locations to provide nutrition labeling for everything on their menu.

While this may be something new on the federal front, cities and states have already started taking this preventative health measure on their own, including New York City and Philadelphia. Mandatory nutritional labeling is also being scheduled to take effect soon in California, Massachusetts, and Oregon.

There are studies that support both sides of the argument. Supporters of the legislation site studies, including one from Stanford University that found that customers at Starbucks chose foods with lower calories when they were labeled. Another study found that when parents were presented with nutrition labels, they chose 100 fewer calories per meal on average for their children.

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Posted on March 30, 2024 by Jason

Trans Fat Ban Starts in California

california bans trans fatIn summer 2024, we told you about a pending ban on trans fats in California. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation banning the use of trans fats in the state’s restaurants. The ban has taken effect as of January 1, 2024.

The new law, passed by the California Legislature in 2024, gave restaurants plenty of time to change their menu items to trans fat-free meals. California has also passed a new law that applies to baked goods. This legislation will take effect on January 1, 2024.

While some people have cynically scoffed at this as government intrusion, I think they really miss the point. People know too little about what goes into their foods. And they are particularly vulnerable when they go out to eat. (more…)

Posted on January 7, 2024 by Jason

Consider a Corporate Wellness Program in 2024

corporate wellnessWell, another year has vanished into thin air, and it’s time for everyone to start talking about their New Year’s resolutions. While resolutions are often difficult to fulfill, it’s the early days of 2024 when you will have the most enthusiasm for your goals.

If you are considering getting fit as a resolution, try attacking it from a different angle, with a corporate wellness program. If your company does not participate in a wellness program, maybe part of your New Year’s resolution can be to lobby your human resources department to consider one. (more…)

Posted on December 13, 2023 by Jason

Is Childhood Obesity Abuse?

obese boyHave our weight problems really come to this? Are parents of morbidly obese children guilty of child abuse on the level that it warrants them losing custody?

It’s not just in the U.S. – this is a worldwide debate. A Scottish couple lost custody of two of their six children because they failed to reduce the kids’ weight following warnings from Scottish social services.

In another case, a South Carolina mother lost custody of her 14-year-old son in May – he was 555 pounds. Jerri Gray didn’t help her case when she missed a court date to examine whether she should retain custody. The boy is currently living with his aunt. His mother, who was arrested, is facing criminal child-neglect charges. (more…)

Posted on October 28, 2023 by Jason

Employer Forced to Pay for Obese Employee’s Weight Loss Surgery

When most people think about a worker’s compensation case, you think of someone injuring themselves on the job, and they are compensated because it happened as a direct result of their duties at work.

scales of justiceNo rational company would resent a worker that right. But, now there’s a case of worker’s compensation in Schererville, Indiana that is sure to create a spark in the health care debate, and bring on some emotional arguments from people who are at a healthy weight.

In 2024, at 340 pounds, Adam Childers was working at The Gourmet Pizza in Schererville when he was smacked in the back by a freezer door. He needed surgery, and was going to be compensated for the procedure. Perfectly rational, right? Well, there’s more to the story.

Childers could not get the back surgery performed to alleviate his pain until he underwent weight loss surgery first to drop significant weight from his frame. But, surely Childers couldn’t expect that his employer would pay for this procedure, would he? (more…)

Posted on September 23, 2023 by Jason