Does Obesity=Disability?

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  • cowgirlup327
    cowgirlup327 Posts: 58 Member
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    I have dreams of changing this sort of problem, but I know all over our country, counties are struggling to find money to support public programs.

    I really wish that for claims such as these, rather than receive disability payments, claimants were enrolled in (at least) a 30-day program focusing on nutrition and exercise. Perhaps get a CSA (or other produce provider) on board to provide claimants/participants with a month's worth of fresh produce. Work closely with and monitor the progress of participants for that first month, and based on individual progress, provide them with a long-term plan. Perhaps a recipe guide, some sort of online program (even if it's just something similar to MFP) where they can continue to chart their own progress, etc.

    Help people help themselves...that's what we need to do.

    Of course, this would probably piss off all the major food manufacturers who are stocking the grocery store shelves with processed garbage. Such a terrible loop of failure and so incredibly disappointing.
  • fitme88
    fitme88 Posts: 8
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    I totally agree with you.. Just for someone letting themselves go and figured they can get free money because of that... Thats not right.. If someone was to become obese and then suffer severe complications like a stroke or something then I can see where they may need a hand until their health is back in order.. But Obese in general I do not see as being a disability!!
  • Elf_Princess1210
    Elf_Princess1210 Posts: 895 Member
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    if they're so obese that the can't leave their bed then disability should only be granted if they are actively trying to lose weight. MHO
  • AbbyCar
    AbbyCar Posts: 198 Member
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    I too work for Disability and have seen lots of claims that come in with obesity as an allegation. However, we have been trained that you cannot receive benefits for obesity alone. It must be coupled with something else, such as COPD or severe musculoskeletal problems. For a lot of the people that are allowed benefits due to obesity and another issue, it has snowballed. For instance, Joe has COPD and has difficulty exercising, therefore Joe gains weight and has even more difficulties getting around until it gets to the point that Joe cannot get around to even carry out his daily activities (bathing, cooking, etc...).
  • wildcata77
    wildcata77 Posts: 660
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    I'm not even going to read the other responses b/c I don't even want to know if there is anyone out there that considers obesity a disability.
  • winninga
    winninga Posts: 77 Member
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    Ugh, my dream job would be to run the screening process of social welfare programs.

    Believe me, it ain't no dream job. You can't just deny folks because you think they're lazy and don't deserve the assistance. You would get fired, and then sued. Then if you find out that they are frauding, you can't just cut them off. You have turn their case over to a different agency who takes several months, if not years to investigate because they are so backlogged. I do enjoy my job because I know from experience that bad things happen to good people, and I wish there had been someone to help me out. Just because there wasn't, doesn't mean the there shouldn't be people like me out there willing to help. I just get frustrated with the frauders, and the people who ungreatful.
  • JoyousRen
    JoyousRen Posts: 3,823 Member
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    I bet not getting free money to be fat would help with weight loss. I know it's a struggle to lose weight and keep it off. I'm just saying we shouldn't support people because they abused themselves. I know many people that are extremely obese and have all the heath issues that go along with it and still work full work weeks.

    I know right. They should take all their free money away and let the fat people starve to death hopefully. Then we really won't have to deal with them. /sarcasm

    I wonder why everyone thinks super morbidly obese people love being that big? Don't you ever factor in any other influences or psychological problems? You wouldn't tell an anorexic "Oh you did it to yourself, nobody told you not to eat!"

    I am well aware of the psychological roots of obesity. I use/used it for self comfort. I just don't think that supporting someone who is obese because they are obese is right. Helping some one deal with the cause of their obesity whether it be emotional, or physical is completely different then just handing them a check.
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
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    Just to add, if we're talking obese people lying to cheat the system then that's another issue. ?

    Pretty sure we're talking about obese people trying to cheat the system.
  • victoria4321
    victoria4321 Posts: 1,719 Member
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    Just to add, if we're talking obese people lying to cheat the system then that's another issue. ?

    Pretty sure we're talking about obese people trying to cheat the system.

    Okay then never mind all the prior comments.
  • snowgrrl83
    snowgrrl83 Posts: 242 Member
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    I too work for Disability and have seen lots of claims that come in with obesity as an allegation. However, we have been trained that you cannot receive benefits for obesity alone. It must be coupled with something else, such as COPD or severe musculoskeletal problems. For a lot of the people that are allowed benefits due to obesity and another issue, it has snowballed. For instance, Joe has COPD and has difficulty exercising, therefore Joe gains weight and has even more difficulties getting around until it gets to the point that Joe cannot get around to even carry out his daily activities (bathing, cooking, etc...).
    Thank you for the clarification :)
  • marycmeadows
    marycmeadows Posts: 1,691 Member
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    To me a disability is something you can not change and would prevent you from doing other things as you normally would/could. Obesity can be changed with exercise and proper diet. I think it is just the lazy person's way to try and get some free money so they can sit for longer periods of time on the couch and be lazy. The other things they are putting on the claim sounds like side effects of being obese, that may not necessarily improve if they lose weight, but it never hurts to try. In my opinion, it sounds like they are just trying to work the system. If I were in your position, the shredder next to my desk would be full.

    agreed!
  • Tobi1013
    Tobi1013 Posts: 732 Member
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    I too work for Disability and have seen lots of claims that come in with obesity as an allegation. However, we have been trained that you cannot receive benefits for obesity alone. It must be coupled with something else, such as COPD or severe musculoskeletal problems. For a lot of the people that are allowed benefits due to obesity and another issue, it has snowballed. For instance, Joe has COPD and has difficulty exercising, therefore Joe gains weight and has even more difficulties getting around until it gets to the point that Joe cannot get around to even carry out his daily activities (bathing, cooking, etc...).

    The problem I see with this example, though, is that Joe did not become obese becasue he has COPD and had difficulty exercising. He became obese because he consumed more calories than his body needed, and he did that every single day. If his COPD was not so severe that he did not require disability assistance BEFORE he became obese, then he should not be granted disability now that he is obese.

    I understand the point you are trying to make, but there was a point in time where Joe could have prevented his current situation.
  • krisiepoo
    krisiepoo Posts: 710 Member
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    I too work for Disability and have seen lots of claims that come in with obesity as an allegation. However, we have been trained that you cannot receive benefits for obesity alone. It must be coupled with something else, such as COPD or severe musculoskeletal problems. For a lot of the people that are allowed benefits due to obesity and another issue, it has snowballed. For instance, Joe has COPD and has difficulty exercising, therefore Joe gains weight and has even more difficulties getting around until it gets to the point that Joe cannot get around to even carry out his daily activities (bathing, cooking, etc...).
    Thank you for the clarification :)

    This is mostly true however the federal quality assurance program has been kicking back our claims if we're not taking a closer look at the obesity part of the claim. It's like they go in waves... one year they want us to give greater consideration to people claiming obesity... the next year they don't want us to even write about it... now they're back to wanting us to include and take a closer look at obesity and how if functionally affects people.

    We see a lot of crap come through, as I'm sure you do too...
  • jr1985
    jr1985 Posts: 1,033 Member
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    Well... I think it depends on HOW obese they are... Not that anyone should ever get to this point... but if someone is so obese that they literally cannot walk then yes, until they can walk again, I would consider it a disability.

    Then again... having worked in social work for a while... while yes many many people really do have a mental illness and need assistance and I do not mean to take it lightly... but if people don't want to work, believe me... they will figure out a way to fake a mental illness too... You are going to have abusers of the system no matter what you do.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    This interesting. A few days ago someone linked to a Fat Acceptance site that said, among other things, obesity should not be considered a disability for purposes of seeking relief under certain anti-discrimination laws, such as the ADA.

    It's not something to which I've given a lot of thought, but I'm not sure that given the huge increase of obese people in our country routinely treating obesity as a disability is practical (and I understand that it has to be coupled with other conditions.).

    Having said all that, I don't think it's fair to penalize people (such as denying them benefits) without first giving them adequate support to lose weight: Education, grocery supplemental funds, healthcare, gym access. Of course, all those programs are very expensive and everyone (including the pols) want a quick, cheap fix for complex problems.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    In my opinion, it sounds like they are just trying to work the system.

    First of all, I want to be clear that I've never tried to work the system. But once I was between jobs, had no insurance was very concerned about my health and I qualified for a low-income healthcare clinic. I considered applying for temporary benefits so I could get a brain MRI, the cost of which the clinic did not cover.

    Dealing with government agencies and institutions that service the poor is humiliating, intrusive, and extraordinarily time-consuming. Everything is done in what seems to be the most inefficient manner. I would show up for my clinic appointment and literally wait for hours. I had to make three appointments to get seen for things that would have taken one visit with a private doctor. Often, I didn''t even see a doctor, but a physician's assistant., who let me think she was a doctor. The clinic was open only during the morning on Saturday and although I was there a few minutes after it opened, I had missed their unannounced quota of patients for the day and had to go home. I believe this was considered to be a good or very good clinic of its kind.

    I was amazed that most of the people waiting were so patient. They were resigned to having no options. Once, there was a very scary outburst. a foot away from me.I don't know how an economically challenged person could hold down even a crappy job if s/he had to rely on services like that or even had one sick child.

    I realize that I may not have the typical mentality, but it struck me that working the system would be a whole lot of work.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    but if people don't want to work, believe me... they will figure out a way to fake a mental illness too... You are going to have abusers of the system no matter what you do.

    Exactly. There are always going to be people who game the system. I knew someone who is completely out of touch and was complaining about some kind of short-term relief Obama had provided. Millions of people benefited and they weren't all cheaters, they were people in need.
  • hezzyhlo
    hezzyhlo Posts: 55 Member
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    I have dreams of changing this sort of problem, but I know all over our country, counties are struggling to find money to support public programs.

    I really wish that for claims such as these, rather than receive disability payments, claimants were enrolled in (at least) a 30-day program focusing on nutrition and exercise. Perhaps get a CSA (or other produce provider) on board to provide claimants/participants with a month's worth of fresh produce. Work closely with and monitor the progress of participants for that first month, and based on individual progress, provide them with a long-term plan. Perhaps a recipe guide, some sort of online program (even if it's just something similar to MFP) where they can continue to chart their own progress, etc.

    Help people help themselves...that's what we need to do.

    Of course, this would probably piss off all the major food manufacturers who are stocking the grocery store shelves with processed garbage. Such a terrible loop of failure and so incredibly disappointing.

    I absolutely agree!!!!!
  • AbbyCar
    AbbyCar Posts: 198 Member
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    I too work for Disability and have seen lots of claims that come in with obesity as an allegation. However, we have been trained that you cannot receive benefits for obesity alone. It must be coupled with something else, such as COPD or severe musculoskeletal problems. For a lot of the people that are allowed benefits due to obesity and another issue, it has snowballed. For instance, Joe has COPD and has difficulty exercising, therefore Joe gains weight and has even more difficulties getting around until it gets to the point that Joe cannot get around to even carry out his daily activities (bathing, cooking, etc...).

    The problem I see with this example, though, is that Joe did not become obese becasue he has COPD and had difficulty exercising. He became obese because he consumed more calories than his body needed, and he did that every single day. If his COPD was not so severe that he did not require disability assistance BEFORE he became obese, then he should not be granted disability now that he is obese.

    I understand the point you are trying to make, but there was a point in time where Joe could have prevented his current situation.

    Yes, well, we also grant disability to people with lung cancer, even if they've smoked for years...

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