Gastric bypass, newest medicaid/medicare pig trough?

[glhs837]

So, after hearing about yet another person I know whose livelihood is off the public largess getting gastric bypass, I got to wondering, what has changed in the last three years......seems that everyone I know who doesn't pay anything for health care, and has anything remotely resembling a weight problem, is getting gastric bypass. Is this the newest way to get lots of govt medical dollars, the surgical equivalent of those $6,000 electric carts that nobody paid for, and the 1,000 a year service?

 

[Bann]

I think it's the latest quick fix in (*most of*) those who are too lazy to work at being healthy. I have known of TWO people who have gotten this surgery and they don't have a pot to p_ss in. And neither one of them are really doing diddly squat to reduce their weight any further. (i.e., exercise-watching their food/diet) The public MUST be paying for it, because I know they don't have the healthcare. (I believe they have medicaid)

There are at *least* 5 morbidly obese people (3 of those people are under the age of 30!!) in my company that I can think of off the top of my head who greatly contribute to the rise in our group health insurance premiums, which irritates me. I guess if they got the gastric bypass they would still add to that cost, but perhaps would be healthier in the long run. I dunno. Morbid obesity is becoming an epidemic in this country, it seems.

 

[musiclady]

Ah, but if they got the gastric bypass and didn't change their habits, they would gain the weight back and then have even more problems. I know several people who tried it, gained it all back and have terrible issues with digestion, malnutrition,etc. That would end up costing even more.

 

[Bann]

Ah, but if they got the gastric bypass and didn't change their habits, they would gain the weight back and then have even more problems. I know several people who tried it, gained it all back and have terrible issues with digestion, malnutrition,etc. That would end up costing even more.

That, too.

 

[Tami2red]

I had gastric bypass - but over 14 years ago. And busted my butt (literally) to work out. I've kept off every pound. I also paid for mine myself. I DO NOT agree with it being handed out like a gift for those who don't want to do the work.

Edited to say - My x MIL had the same surgery by the same Doc. She gained every pound back.

The surgery isn't a fix all. It's a tool.

 

[Bobwhite]

I think it's the latest quick fix in (*most of*) those who are too lazy to work at being healthy. I have known of TWO people who have gotten this surgery and they don't have a pot to p_ss in. And neither one of them are really doing diddly squat to reduce their weight any further. (i.e., exercise-watching their food/diet) The public MUST be paying for it, because I know they don't have the healthcare. (I believe they have medicaid)

There are at *least* 5 morbidly obese people (3 of those people are under the age of 30!!) in my company that I can think of off the top of my head who greatly contribute to the rise in our group health insurance premiums, which irritates me. I guess if they got the gastric bypass they would still add to that cost, but perhaps would be healthier in the long run. I dunno. Morbid obesity is becoming an epidemic in this country, it seems.

My concern is that if these people had done what they are supposed to do after they have had the surgery before they had the surgery, their weight problems would be solved and they wouldn't have had to have surgery. I've know several people who have had the surgery and they turned to alcohol as a replacement for the food they couldn't have. I believe that people who are that overweight have underlying problems that need to be addressed, but they choose surgery instead.

 

[Bann]

My concern is that if these people had done what they are supposed to do after they have had the surgery before they had the surgery, their weight problems would be solved and they wouldn't have had to have surgery. I've know several people who have had the surgery and they turned to alcohol as a replacement for the food they couldn't have. I believe that people who are that overweight have underlying problems that need to be addressed, but they choose surgery instead.

Of course. Like the other poster said it should be a tool, but it is being used as a fix all. There has to be motivation to getting healthy, not just getting rid of the weight. It's a life change.

Besides, it may get rid of the poundage, but there is often a lot of skin leftover and that needs to be exercised. Still - not all of that even goes away. The surgery in no way alleviates all the issues, and quite often creates new issues to deal with.

 

[Larry Gude]

..Is this the newest way to get lots of govt medical dollars, the surgical equivalent of those $6,000 electric carts that nobody paid for, and the 1,000 a year service?

Funny you should day that. I happened to be in Disney when it dawned on me just how crazy the subsidized world of medical scooters had become. The whole place was one vast scooter parking lot. Canes are in vogue these days, too.

 

[Larry Gude]

...and quite often creates new issues to deal with.

Which is the goal, truth be known and because of the reasons you state.

 

[Roman]

My cousin was almost 500 pounds when he had his surgery. It was very hard on him emotionally. He had a lot of baggage prior to it also. I'm happy to say, it's been about 8 years, and he has maintained 190. As said earlier, the surgery is a tool, and he has to fight his urges to over-eat on a daily basis. He weighs now what he weighed in 7th grade. I am so proud of him.

 

[Bann]

Which is the goal, truth be known and because of the reasons you state.

But if the patient is not motivated to make that life change those goals become the problems. Costlier, sometimes

 

[Bann]

My cousin was almost 500 pounds when he had his surgery. It was very hard on him emotionally. He had a lot of baggage prior to it also. I'm happy to say, it's been about 8 years, and he has maintained 190. As said earlier, the surgery is a tool, and he has to fight his urges to over-eat on a daily basis. He weighs now what he weighed in 7th grade. I am so proud of him.

 

[frequentflier]

My cousin was almost 500 pounds when he had his surgery. It was very hard on him emotionally. He had a lot of baggage prior to it also. I'm happy to say, it's been about 8 years, and he has maintained 190. As said earlier, the surgery is a tool, and he has to fight his urges to over-eat on a daily basis. He weighs now what he weighed in 7th grade. I am so proud of him.

My boss and his wife in southern CA had the surgery (12 or more years ago) and had to go to counseling and attend classes for a long time prior to the surgery. The counseling was to make sure they were emotionally stable and prepared for the changes they would have to continue to make in their lives. The classes included proper nutrition, exercise, etc.

He was humongous and his wife was heavy; though initially was not qualified for the surgery. She intentionally gained enough weight for the surgery because she figured it would be easier for them both to have it with the changes they would have to make for their eating habits and lifestyle.

I lost contact with him years ago but have often wondered if he (they) were successful in keeping the weight off. I also wondered if he had all the excess skin cut off.

 

[Larry Gude]

But if the patient is not motivated to make that life change those goals become the problems. Costlier, sometimes

My point is that our leaders who see to this sort of thing know darn well what YOU mean. For them, from the lobbying standpoint, ie, re-election, what matters is that is does NOT fix the problem and leads, intentionally, to more business. That's why I like that the OP mentioned the scooter boondoggle and asks if this is merely the next one, which it is. Because of the reasons you state; as it becomes paid for by tax payers it will be used more and more by people less and less suited to it actually working who will then need follow on care in whole other areas to cash in for constituents who've worked to get this sort of...business...into law.

 

[MMDad]

As long as "We the People" have decided that we are going to collectively pay for the health care of the lazy it makes sense to pay for this surgery. It is cheaper to do the surgery, even though some gain it all back, than it is to treat the co-morbidities that go along with obesity like diabetes and heart disease.

 

[MMDad]

But if the patient is not motivated to make that life change those goals become the problems. Costlier, sometimes

I wonder if on average it actually is costlier. I doubt there are any hard statistics to prove it either way, but my opinion is that it would not be.

 

[Radiant1]

I don't suppose I mind if people get the surgery, as it can be considered a health issue, but I do have a problem if my tax money is used for the resulting cosmetic surgeries that come after the weight loss (i.e. skin removal, body lift, etc).

 

[MMDad]

I don't suppose I mind if people get the surgery, as it can be considered a health issue, but I do have a problem if my tax money is used for the resulting cosmetic surgeries that come after the weight loss (i.e. skin removal, body lift, etc).

I know at least 10 people who have had the surgery. Insurance pays for the initial surgery, but any cosmetic surgery is not usually covered. I believe that is fair - the initial surgery can be considered medically necessary, but the cosmetic surgery is not. I hope that's how taxpayer funded programs work.

 

[glhs837]

My intention wasn't to debate the merits of the surgery, I've seen success stories and failures, but more to debate whether the medical industry is seeing this as a new publicly funded growth area. "Holy crap, Bob, see al those poor fat people? At 60K per, we could make a killing!!!" For those unaware of the scooter tie in, read here.....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/2014/08/16/a-medicare-scam-that-just-kept-rolling/

"Since 1999, Medicare has spent $8.2 billion to procure power wheelchairs and “scooters” for 2.7 million people. Today, the government cannot even guess at how much of that money was paid out to scammers."

 

[Roman]

I forgot to mention that my cousin had insulin dependent Diabetes, and uncontrolled high blood pressure. He is medicine-free now. About the slack-skin removal. In some cases, it is medically necessary to have it removed. Especially around the lower torso. It can become a breeding ground for MRSA, and other flesh type diseases. I know for a fact, that some Doctors will put that on the patient's records so that the insurance covers the surgery, even if the patient has no such infection.