Many people in Germany are saying that they believe it is unfair that regular taxpayers are having to take the brunt of paying for health care services for those who need medical care from aliments having to do with their obesity. According to Reuters, Marco Wanderwitz, a taxpayer, stated, "I think that it would be sensible if those who deliberately lead unhealthy lives would be held financially accountable for that."
According to Reuters, Marco Wanderwitz is "a conservative member of parliament for the German state of Saxony, said it is unfair and unsustainable for the taxpayer to carry the entire cost of treating obesity-related illnesses in the public health system".
The health care system in Germany is paid for by a bunch of mandatory health insurance funds which are being said to be overused. People are blaming those who live unhealthy lifestyles and allow themselves to become obese for overusing the health care system.
Government Wants Your Individual Obesity Rating By 2014
Obesity leads to many health related issues from cardiac arrest, to high blood pressure, to diabetes, just to name a few. When obese people get sick and need medical attention, they get sent to the hospitals where most have to take them and treat them whether or not they have money to pay for the services.
Officials have been saying that health care system is in deficit because of how many obese people are overusing it. Many believe that the obese should have their own tax and that others should not have to be penalized because of those who do not take care of themselves.
Others, are opposed to this idea of taxing the obese. Walter Willett, a professor of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health shared that he feels taxing the obese is "not humane." He also told AOL News that "lifestyle is not the only factor in obesity, with both genetics and urban environments playing major roles." Willett shared, "It's not fair to tax somebody just for being obese. Most people who are obese would prefer not to be so."
Germany is a country popular for their beer, pork and chocolates and the government does not seem to do much about its obesity issue. Germany is considered to be one of the "fattest countries in Europe". According to AOL News, twenty-one percent of German adults were obese in 2007, and the German newspaper Bild estimates that the cost of treating obesity-related illnesses is about 17 billion euro, or $21.7 billion, a year.
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Comments
#1 taxing obese
I think this is the beginning of many big countries taxing the obese. Otherwise it does make sense. Why should those who make healthy choices pay for those who smoke and do not make healthy choices. I would say tax the obese and those who smoke.
#2 taxing obese AND....
and those that drink alcohol and don't take their medication properly and those that are non-compliant with their physicians plan of care and those that do not exercise ... and....and....
#3 A completely ridiculous idea
Just how much would it cost to put up and run a system that keeps track on every citizen's weight? Why not just raise the tax on sodas (with sugar), chocolate, candy, cakes etc. That way they'll pay without having to create a ridiculous system to police the height/weigh/muscle mass/body fat percentage of every citizen.