Government will require all Americans by 2014 to have a Obesity Rating

[teedubya]

I'm Doooooooomed. LOL.

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/69436

Obesity Rating for Every American Included in Stimulus-Mandated Electronic Health Records

New federal regulations issued this week stipulate that the electronic health records--that all Americans are supposed to have by 2014 under the terms of the stimulus law that President Barack Obama signed last year--must record not only the traditional measures of height and weight, but also the Body Mass Index: a measure of obesity.

The obesity-rating regulation states that every American's electronic health record must: “Calculate body mass index. Automatically calculate and display body mass index (BMI) based on a patient’s height and weight.”

The law also requires that these electronic health records be available--with appropriate security measures--on a national exchange.

The new regulations are one of the first steps towards the government’s goal of universal adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) by 2014, as outlined in the 2009 economic stimulus law. Specifically, the regulations issued on Tuesday by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Dr. David Blumenthal, the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, define the "meaningful use" of electronic records. Under the stimulus law, health care providers--including doctors and hospitals--must establish "meaningful use" of EHRs by 2014 in order to qualify for federal subsidies. After that, they will be subjected to penalties in the form of diminished Medicare and Medicaid payments for not establishing "meaningful use" of EHRs.

Section 3001 of the stimulus law says: "The National Coordinator shall, in consultation with other appropriate Federal agencies (including the National Institute of Standards and Technology), update the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan (developed as of June 3, 2008) to include specific objectives, milestones, and metrics with respect to the following: (i) The electronic exchange and use of health information and the enterprise integration of such information.‘‘(ii) The utilization of an electronic health record for each person in the United States by 2014."

Under this mandate in the stimulus law, Secretary Sebelius issued a regulation--developed by Dr. Blumenthal--that requires that all EHRs keep track of a person’s Body Mass Index (BMI) score. Body Mass Index is a ratio between a person’s weight and height, and is used to determine whether or not someone is overweight or obese. It is the preferred method of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for measuring obesity.

Michelle Obama has made dealing with the problem of childhood obesity the main theme of her term as First Lady.

U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin. (Photo by Penny Starr/CNSNews.com)
According to the CDC, “BMI provides a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems.”

A person’s BMI score is used as a tool to screen for obesity or excessive body fat that could lead to other health problems. While it does not actually measure body fat directly, according to CDC, the BMI scores generally correlate with a person’s body fat percentage.

The new regulations also stipulate that the new electronic records be capable of sending public health data to state and federal health agencies such as HHS and CDC. The CDC, which calls American society “obesogenic” – meaning that American society itself promotes obesity – collects BMI scores from state health agencies every year to monitor obesity nationwide.

“Electronically record, retrieve, and transmit syndrome based public health surveillance information to public health agencies,” the regulations read.

With the spread of electronic health records, the CDC apparently will be able to collect such data more efficiently and with greater accuracy because the electronic record keeping systems can send the data automatically, eliminating the need for government – both state and federal – to keep, send, and process physical records.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Donger

And you think that should be one of the responsibilities of our government?

Americans have failed at maintaining their health on their own.

That's why we have so many fat ****s walking around.

Forcing Americans to exercise isn't the answer, and wouldn't be right, but making it easier for them to do so might be.

Hopefully the government can come up with some national programs and encourage people to be a part of it.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Well, they have a stake in it now since they're providing health care or whatever.


I'm a little worried that they'll start reading about those ultra-low calorie diets and start enforcing them. We'll all get 1 cup of rice a day and will long for the days when we could eat things like fruits and vegetables.

Or requiring you to visit the doctor even if you don't want to do so.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by Brock

BMI doesn't.

It's fairly close, but we've had this discussion before.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

Americans have failed at maintaining their health on their own.

That's why we have so many fat ****s walking around.

Forcing Americans to exercise isn't the answer, and wouldn't be right, but making it easier for them to do so might be.

Hopefully the government can come up with some national programs and encourage people to be a part of it.

There are such programs. They are voluntary, of course (now). There's a big difference between encouraging versus ordering.

[Saulbadguy]

Originally Posted by Donger

Would you have felt the same way if you were still obese?

I'm still "obese". Great idea, IMO.

[RJ]

I wonder if they'll then tie in to the records from your grocery store's shopper card so they'll know whether you're just fat cause you're fat, or fat cause you're living on a steady diet of Doritos, Twinkies and bacon?

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Donger

There are such programs. They are voluntary, of course (now). There's a big difference between encouraging versus ordering.

Well here's what they can do with this data. They can target advertising for those programs more accurately.

If the average fat American was visited by a representative from a government-sponsored weight loss program, and encouraged to register and participate, I bet there would be fewer fat Americans.

But maybe I have my head way up my ass and America is hopelessly fat.

Here's a thought: currently the weight loss and exercise industry is thriving. Some people don't want to spend the money they feel they have to in order to lose weight. What if the government made it a lot cheaper for them?

[Brock]

Originally Posted by Silock

It's fairly close, but we've had this discussion before.

It's useless, but we've had this discussion before.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

Well here's what they can do with this data. They can target advertising for those programs more accurately.

If the average fat American was visited by a representative from a government-sponsored weight loss program, and encouraged to register and participate, I bet there would be fewer fat Americans.

But maybe I have my head way up my ass and America is hopelessly fat.

It's scares the crap out of me that anyone would welcome such a visit.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by Brock

It's useless, but we've had this discussion before.

Useless? No. Inaccurate for some people? Yes.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Donger

It's scares the crap out of me that anyone would welcome such a visit.

It's harmless, and potentially very beneficial.

And it would create jobs.

OBAMA!

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

Americans have failed at maintaining their health on their own.

That's why we have so many fat ****s walking around.

Forcing Americans to exercise isn't the answer, and wouldn't be right, but making it easier for them to do so might be.

Hopefully the government can come up with some national programs and encourage people to be a part of it.

I apologize folks, but this is pretty much how my entire generation sees the world, GC is a bit of a simpleton, but his views on this particular front do mirror his general demographic.

Nope, not interested in coming up with our own solutions, but hopefully [sic], big brother can fix everything for us...

I still blame the Baby Boomers. **** you guys.

[Brock]

Originally Posted by Silock

Useless? No. Inaccurate for some people? Yes.

If it's inaccurate for some people, then maybe we need to find an accurate measurement for everybody. And you know they exist, so quit rationalizing this crap.

[Heather]

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

This is a pretty good idea. It's not like they are forcing people to lose weight or discriminating against fat people.

I can almost guarantee that they will use this data in some form of discrimination down the road, but it will be presented as being for our own good, probably to do with increased premiums, sort of like they (insurance companies) are doing with smoking presently. However, being overweight and smoking are both bad for you and as health care is expensive, it would be wise to use certain incentives to get Americans to drop weight/quit smoking to try to bring down some of the expense. Of course, making fun of the overweight has been going on for years and that is a more direct approach which appears to have failed, although judging by your posts, it seems like you are going to continue to try that approach.

[Garcia Bronco]

Originally Posted by Laz

george w bush was the worst president EVER


yes, even worse than jimmy carter

Not even close. The worst President this country has ever had is US Grant.