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Home Front: Politix
Feds Threaten To Cut Aid To Hospitals With Overweight Employees
2010-08-16
The issue of Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement could become a weighty issue with employees at Ohio Valley Medical Center and East Ohio Regional Hospital.

The employees were informed by letter this week of a proposal currently before the Health Care Reform Bill Commission.
Just another "little noticed" provision in Obamacare ...
That proposal would cut Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement to hospitals where more than 5 percent of hospital employees are found to be 25 percent heavier than generally accepted height and weight guidelines.

Employees would have three years to lose extra weight before such a measure would take effect.

The proposal has yet to be officially drafted into any kind of law.
Time for torches and pitchforks yet?
Posted by: Anonymoose

#17  What's the link between medicare and medicaid and overweight hospital employees?

How bout while your at it cut entitlements and benefits for overweight congresscritters, politicians, and bureaucrats? Better yet, the voters can cut out the dead wood in November 2010 and 2012.
Posted by: JohnQC   2010-08-16 22:59  

#16  So I guess Michelle better start working on her gigantic ass or she'll be outta luck at her old job when they get sent back to Chitown in 2013...
Posted by: tu3031   2010-08-16 22:23  

#15  Thanks man,
I'm actually getting an offer from the FFA this week, I was blowing my top the other day because another federal HR person found it more fashionable to hire a minority candidate over me. I don't begrudge her the job, but I doubt a 24 year old chinese girl has more project management experience in heavy construction projects than I do.
That's a hot tip on the welding job though, hard to believe they can't find welders in Indiana, seemed like there were about a million of them in the union when I broke out. Times they do change!
Posted by: bigjim-CA   2010-08-16 21:20  

#14  #5 Hello Bigjim. It was Badanov who mentioned John Deere was hiring welders in Illinois. That they couldn't find any for work at their plant.
Posted by: Dale   2010-08-16 18:54  

#13  Time for torches and pitchforks yet?

It's beginning with pies


Sen. Carl Levin was hit in the face with a pie this morning at a question-and-answer session on what should've been friendly ground in Big Rapids.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100816/POLITICS03/8160397/1361/Levin-hit-in-face-with-pie-in-Big-Rapids#ixzz0woOQGLTS
Posted by: Beavis   2010-08-16 18:50  

#12  Time for torches and pitchforks yet?

Rabble, rabble, rabble.
Posted by: DMFD   2010-08-16 18:42  

#11  Those who work at Hospitals must now keep silent on this current administration and any problems they may have with their Hospital. The threat of termination is a very real consequence of speaking openly of current events. The source does not wish to be named of course.
Posted by: Dale   2010-08-16 15:33  

#10  Wouldn't this conflict with the ADA?

Yes. Lose your funding for having 'fat' employees, then get sued for firing them (or not hiring 'fat' people in the first place).

This reeks of government think. Make whatever silly rules you want and let the peons sort out the details. These people would repeal the law of gravity, then fine you for being unlawfully attracted to the planet earth. And it would never even occur to them that this might be a problem.
Posted by: Iblis   2010-08-16 11:09  

#9  Wouldn't this conflict with the ADA?

Posted by: Bugs Glavique2055   2010-08-16 08:36  

#8  Dittos, gentlemen. My MD was shocked at how heavy I am but then I have been weight lifting since my early twenties and long distance cycling for longer. I do need to lose about 10-15 pounds of fat around the middle but if I lost the 50 the BMI wants I would look like a concentration camp survivor.

All I can say in defense of this initiative is that, having worked in a teaching hospital for some time, the admin, support and nursing staff were often spherical. In the old days they would have said "matronly".
Posted by: Excalibur   2010-08-16 08:04  

#7  bigjim-CA: I couldn't agree more. According to the BMI I am borderline obese. I too do weights, as well as karate, and train at least 10 hrs a week. Sure, I could loose a little belly fat but according to the BMI people I need to loose 30 lbs and could loose more than 50 and still be in the 'normal' range.
Posted by: Chemist   2010-08-16 04:15  

#6  Reeks of kickbacks and other scams. Wonder who the Obami have designated to oversee the collection of the baksheesh.
Posted by: lex   2010-08-16 02:24  

#5  You know its that goddamned BMI index from 1951 when people were about half the size they are now. I have had many a throwdown over the BMI, I'm a weight lifter with a very large frame, and yes some fat, but the BMI has me listed as OBESE. And I'll be damned if I'll stand there and let some limp wristed little MD who's never lifted a weight in his life tell me I'm obese when I'm mildly overweight at worst.
Posted by: bigjim-CA   2010-08-16 01:50  

#4  And, just asking... where in the Constitution did the Fed Government get the ability to regulate people's weights or else lose their job (which is the net effect of this)
Posted by: OldSpook   2010-08-16 01:15  

#3  They basing that on BMI I bet. May as well go to phrenology -- its pretty much has the same amount of science that the BMI has to back it up.
Posted by: OldSpook   2010-08-16 01:14  

#2  New Obamacare sign on the way to my local hospital. /sarc off
Posted by: Goodluck   2010-08-16 00:55  

#1  Death Panel anyone?
Posted by: tipover   2010-08-16 00:21  

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