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targetblank> Losing Weight: Healthier Wallet
Title
Losing Weight: Healthier Wallet
Lose Weight - Get A Break
The American Obesity Association (AOA) wants to give new
meaning to getting a deduction. Losing weight should get
you a deduction. The non-profit advocacy organization is
trying to change IRS policy to allow taxpayers to deduct
the cost of weight loss treatments.
The AOA and 10 other organizations (including Weight
Watchers, Jenny Craig, several pharmaceutical companies,
professional societies, and consumer advocate groups)
petitioned the IRS last year to reverse the revenue ruling
that includes weight loss among such other non-deductible
categories as cosmetic surgery and health clubs, and
until recently, smoking cessation programs.
Weight Loss Programs Should Get The Same Break as Smoking
Cessation Programs
The AOA would like to see weight loss treatments
included in the same category of allowable medical
expenses like treatments for heart disease or stroke.
According to Downey, the IRS responded to the petition
last October by saying consideration would be given to
reverse the revenue ruling if facts were provided
establishing either that obesity itself is a disease,
or weight loss by an obese person could prevent the
onset of disease.
The AOA responded with an "exhaustive submission covering
both of those bases," Downey says. "It almost gets to the
point, why did we ask this question in the first place,
it's so obvious, but of course, it isn't, there's still
a lot of misunderstanding about obesity."
The AOA wants the reversal to allow deductions for the
costs of comprehensive obesity treatment, including
surgery, pharmacology, behavioral counseling, and
programs for the specific purpose of weight maintenance
and loss. Downey says he's "optimistic" the IRS will
rule in their favor based on the strength of the evidence
in their 58-page submission to the agency.
Obesity Is Considered A Chronic Disease
Chris Rosenbloom, PhD, RD says obesity is considered a
"chronic disease, it has actually been classified a
disease. It's probably the biggest chronic health
problem that we have in the United States." Rosenbloom
is an associate professor of nutrition at Georgia
State University in Atlanta.
Rosenbloom says obesity can lead to high blood pressure,
increased risk for cardiovascular disease, type 2
diabetes, and possibly even certain types of cancers.
According to the AOA, about 55% of U.S. adults are
overweight or obese. The health care costs for treating
diseases caused by obesity, such as diabetes and heart
disease, was over $100 billion in 1999 alone.
Medicare And Medicaid Next?
Downey says the AOA is "working with some of the managed
care associations and Medicare. We're going to be
looking at Medicaid hopefully in the near future.
We obviously want to see them provide better coverage."
But Downey says the IRS and the insurance industry
are two very different issues. The IRS is more
cut-and-dry, and the questions associated with it are
not as complex.
The IRS has to interpret obesity as a medical problem.
Until it does, it is doubtful that tax relief will come.
Even though medical deductions qualify after seven and
a half percent of your adjusted gross income. If you were
making $100,000 a year, you would have to have over $7,500
before you could deduct it. Most people don't.
Downey agrees "it's a very small category, but in our view,
particularly for people who need bariatric [obese-specific]
surgery, which is going to be $8,000 to $12,000, or so and
frequently is not covered by insurance plans, that
probably is the individual who is going to benefit from
this change. Most middle class people would have to go to
a lot of Weight Watchers meetings to get up to that level."
There has been a 40% increase in the number of obese people
since 1980 and the incidence of obesity in children is
rising. This is an issue that needs to be addressed.
About the Author
About The Author
Michael Lewis has been collecting articles and information
on Weight Loss and HGH (Human Growth Hormone and related
health benefits. He has created and edits numerous web
sites about this subject. Michael is a staff writer for
www.ageforce.com