Government Allows Tax Deductions for Obesity Treatments

I saw this a little while ago. It's quite a bit of money, too - like up to a $20,000 deduction claim for stomach reduction.

I don't agree with it. Others don't get a tax deductions for the money they spend buying healthy foods or a gym membership. But I suppose if you make the effort to live a good healthy life you just doom yourself to paying everyone else's medical bills anyway- drug rehab, alcohol programs, obesity, the prozac nation....

I'm getting my little medical piece by refusing to quit smoking. I sometimes think I don't want to smoke anymore and go for hours without it - where before I'd just have to have one. Then I remember that my taxes won't decrease and I'll keep paying astronomical amounts for health insurance either way, so I light up.

Maybe when I do quit I'll just spend my extra money supersizing everything. When I get too large I'll have a tax deduction!

This is part of why we should have a flat tax rate - so the politicians stop altering around tax law to get their desired voting blocs.

Maybe they should state that any expense toward good health and disease prevention should be tax deductable.

I keep myself in very good health and physical shape to avoid illness and living in a wheelchair... I'm physically disabled and also have IBS, and I would rather exercise like crazy and eat right, rather than letting my joint pain take over and resign myself to a wheelchair. I feel that if obese people can be rewarded for making their life healthier, then those who maintain a healthy life should be rewarded as well.

If your Doc prescribes a gym membership for your health, it's a tax write-off.

I have IBS too (sucks, doesn't it) and I have to stay in very good health.

Can you imagine if everyone in the US was healthy? That would cause problems with social security, everybody living so long!

I don't think it's the government's job to babysit. Prevent murders, yes. make sure you eat your carrots, no.

How about a "Fast Food Tax"?

Men placed on very low fat diets have been found to have higher rates of sucide.

Has the Fed thought about that?