Does Obesity=Disability?

I work for the state welfare office processing claims for assistance programs such as Medicaid, food stamps and cash assistance. To qualify for cash, folks have to put in so many hours at our Work First progam. So many folks claim that they can't work because of asthma, arthritis, fibromyalgia, depression and obesity. Some of my co-workers and I have discussed at lenghths about how we all suffer from at least one, and some of us, all of these problems, yet we get ourselves up and into work every day. To boot, I also drive 50 miles one way, and have a special needs child at home. Many folks try to get excused from the program because their kids have disabilitiess yet they are in school all day. Sometimes I have a more difficult time with these people because I didn't have the opportunity to stay home with my son even when he wasn't in school. That's why I have to take my little mental health days every now and then, like today

What about a smoker with lung cancer? They pay an insurance premium of course but should the insurance cut them off when it's time to cough up the money? Don't obese people pay premiums too?

I never claimed that obese people should be "cut off" from their insurance. When a smoker who pays higher premiums gets lung cancer, their insurance still pays for the necessary procedures, but smokers pay higher premiums because it is known that smoking isn't a "disability", it's self-imposed. So if someone needs heart surgery or lap band surgery then yes their insurance should pay for it, but the attempt to claim "disability" is an attempt to pay less for a higher risk individual.

Edit: every insurance I've ever had (and I've switched about 10 times in as many years) has programs to help with weight loss, nutrition counseling, etc. so if those included programs (that are ultimately funded by everyone who pays a premium, obese or not) aren't enough, then no you don't get to be a Special Case(tm) and claim obesity is a "disability" when you haven't used your insurance for PREVENTATIVE CARE.

I don't think that obesity means disability, but I'm all about science... so I had to look up scientific articles on this issue and obesity has been found to hinder work production according to studies.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19445439

...and another interesting article about obesity and disability discrimination act.
http://www.google.ca/url?q=http://www.radcliffe-oxford.com/books/samplechapter/0584/Williams%20chapt%2010-a158710rdz.pdf&sa=U&ei=5_fQT5_TPIWe6QHDo4V9&ved=0CBoQFjAC&usg=AFQjCNHaBRbhYjRnDXpubt23gkgYRqX6tQ

True but it's an easily curable "disability" assuming it's not caused by other factors such as thyroid or necessary medication.

Sadly, studies do not show that weight loss is an easily curable disability.
- less than 10% of people who will lose weight will keep it off for more than 2 years.
...oh wait, how about I just link more scientific articles on this issue.

The best thing is prevention!

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 don't think that obesity means disability, but I'm all about science... so I had to look up scientific articles on this issue and obesity has been found to hinder work production according to studies.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19445439

...and another interesting article about obesity and disability discrimination act.
http://www.google.ca/url?q=http://www.radcliffe-oxford.com/books/samplechapter/0584/Williams%20chapt%2010-a158710rdz.pdf&sa=U&ei=5_fQT5_TPIWe6QHDo4V9&ved=0CBoQFjAC&usg=AFQjCNHaBRbhYjRnDXpubt23gkgYRqX6tQ

True but it's an easily curable "disability" assuming it's not caused by other factors such as thyroid or necessary medication.

Sadly, studies do not show that weight loss is an easily curable disability.
- less than 10% of people who will lose weight will keep it off for more than 2 years.
...oh wait, how about I just link more scientific articles on this issue.

The best thing is prevention!

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.

For the record - I never said we should or shouldn't support the obese getting disability checks...
I think it depends on the circumstances, but generally speaking, I sure hope that you don't get disability simply because you're obese!

Although some other conditions may arise from obesity (such as diabetes, heart conditions, etc.) and I sure hope that you can get disability if you have complicating factors... e.g. heading into a triple by-pass heart surgery!! .

..its sort of like saying "no disability for you, lung cancer patient, because you smoked!"

Obesity does not equal Disability. All of the other issues that the obesity has now caused should not be considered as disability. Until someone shows that they truely have tried to lose the weight under a doctors care that is documented I do not think disability should be an option. Until we all start owning our errors in judgement this will never change.

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!!

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...).

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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!!!!!