We like to rail against fat ass bureaucrats for sucking up disproportionate portions of the public largesse – but what happens when those fat ass bureaucrats want taxpayers to pick up the tab for their gastric bypass surgery?
According to the Charleston Post and Courier, we pick up the tab – to the tune of $2.4 million in this year’s state budget.
From the story:
South Carolina lawmakers chose paying for weight-loss surgery for obese state workers at $24,000 a pop over putting teachers in the classroom, one state senator said Thursday.
Sen. Greg Ryberg, R-Aiken, said special interest groups won a victory over taxpayers when the Legislature decided to put $2.4 million toward gastric bypass and Lap-Band surgery for 100 of the state’s heaviest employees, under a state health plan pilot program that begins Jan. 1.
Not surprisingly, the pilot program was supported by Senate President Glenn McConnell (RINO/DIC – Charleston) – who said that it will result in “savings” for the state. Of course as we’ve noted repeatedly, these “savings” are never actually rebated to the taxpayers, they’re just spent on something else.
Which means they’re not “savings.”
Anyway, this is a perfect example of how government fails to prioritize spending – of course why would lawmakers feel compelled to do that when this year’s budget is the largest in state history? Besides, when lawmakers fund crap like this it makes it easier for them to threaten cuts elsewhere in government – like classrooms and police stations.
More importantly, this is yet another example of government perks not available to the rest of the state’s population – which ranks as America’s ninth-fattest and eighth-laziest.
We agree that slimmer state employees would “save” health care costs down the road, but we don’t think it should be up to the taxpayers to subsidize their biggest loser transformation.
For example, our founding editor has lost twenty pounds over the last two months simply by watching what he eats and exercising regularly. If he can do it, so can these fat asses.
Bottom line? It is not up to us to shell out $24,000 a pop because a bunch of lazy, stretch-pants wearing bureaucrats can’t control their appetites.
UPDATE: Lawmakers tell FITS that the proviso for the bypass procedures was inserted into the state budget by Speaker Bobby Harrell, House Ways and Means Chairman Danny Cooper and Rep. Brian White – three of the General Assembly’s most fiscally liberal “Republicans.”
By Pam in SC August 13, 2010 at 1:32 pm
UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH This article should be emailed to EVERY taxpayer in SC. I have to lose some weight to try to GET a job I exercise,watch what I eat NO PAIN – NO GAIN RIGHT? I F@#$ing will not pay for someone else to take the easy way out. Every S.C. TAXPAYER should show up @ McConnell & Haley’s doorsteps for OUR well balanced meals because between the two of them we will not be able to maintain a healthy diet style.( Taxes on Groceries & Gastric surgery…UGHHHHHHHHHHH…………
These so called representatives are NOT RINO or DINO they are just PURE EVIL.
By GreenvilleGirl August 13, 2010 at 1:40 pm
“South Carolina lawmakers chose paying for weight-loss surgery for obese state workers at $24,000 a pop over putting teachers in the classroom, one state senator said Thursday”.
I honestly don’t know what to say. I’m not overweight, but regardless, I want a state job:
I can have a suck-y attitude with the public whenever I choose.
I don’t have to work very hard. I walk out the door at 3:59 p.m. every day because walking to and from my car counts as time spent at work.
I am encouraged to walk from my work area as slow as I damn please because productivity is not in my job description. My supervisorS (yes, I have several) want to hire 5 more people, so they want us to work more slowly so it will appear we need 10 more people. That way, we’ll get the 5 we DON’T need, if we would work at a decent pace.
I know there are those who are productive and I’m not ragging on them. I just have never met a government employee who deals with the public who does anything beyond the pace of a 2-week old baby. Eat-sleep-cry-poop. Repeat.
By Bob Loblaw August 13, 2010 at 1:45 pm
Along the same lines, I just learned today that “classified” employees in Richland One School District were given a sizeable paycut. The superintendent, in a speech broadcast throughout the school system, informed employees they were lucky to have jobs. Then, on this same day, the principals of the district were all given Iphones. Seriously? An Iphone? What happened to walkie-talkies? How is an Iphone necessary to run a school?
By eggaday August 13, 2010 at 2:08 pm
I ditto the above comment about ” pure evil”
By CNSYD August 13, 2010 at 2:10 pm
Bob Loblaw, Your complaint is with Richland One not state government.
Greenville Girl, your gross generalizations are just that. I bet you can find examples of what you said in ALL types of employment public and private. IRT being surly, etc. obviously you have never dealt with health insurance providers when you make a claim. They are the champs at surley.
FITS, most health insurance plans will pay for things like this as they see it as a savings down the road. This is the same reason most will pay for a smoking cessation program.
By Pam in SC August 13, 2010 at 3:10 pm
Greenville Girl, I think CNSYD works for a state office, being a little over weight makes him sensitive I think.
OH crap! Thanks CNSYD for all your wise comments. Would tell you we are fed up with THE STATE LAWMAKERS THAT MAKE THE LAWS FOR ALL COUNTIES, went just over your head did it? Which state angency do you work for? Do I smell a vote for more of the same BS from Columbia? you betcha.
By Watching from Afar August 13, 2010 at 3:47 pm
This is the worst written article ever by the PC and then for FITS to follow the MSM lead is ridiculous.
Some facts:
Currently the state health plan does not cover gatsric bypass/lapband surgeries. The pilot program is to see how effective it will be if at all. If a success and the state health plan decides to start covering these surgeries, the long term savings will be in the millions of dollars. You will have less people with diabetes, disabilities and genetic weight issues that can cause heart attacks, high blood pressure, and a host of other things that can cost millions.
Also, when you work for the state, you still have to PAY FOR YOUR HEALTH CARE. This is very misunderstood by this article, FITS, and the commenters. Yes it’s fairly inexpensive and good coverage, but it also is what happens when you have a group of 60,000 plus. You get reduced rates. This costs taxpayers very little.
I would also be willing to bet that the “tea party” crowd, the Tom Davis’s, Mulvaney’s, Ryberg’s, and Bedingfields of the world are all on the state helath plan and most likely have their immediate family on it to. And they too pay for it.
So again FITS, get your facts straight and stop posting half truths and half lies.
By Joseph Reynolds August 13, 2010 at 4:16 pm
Im not sure that legislators do pay for health care. Didnt they exempt themselves years ago from actually paying for it?
The fact that they give it to themselves at all is a crime, since they are supposed to have “real” jobs already, and their healthcare shouldnt be a burden on taxpayers.
To get full covereage for themselves and their families at little or no cost to themselves for a part time $10,000/year a job should have the TEA Party burning down the doors to the cState House.
By not too smart August 13, 2010 at 5:02 pm
This just highlights what is wrong with our health insurance system. Maybe one or two of those morbidly obese have a thyroid problem, but most of them are obese from poor personal choices and could lose weight following Sic’s plan. I’m a small business owner who has to buy private health insurance. I can’t insure my daughter who had a brain tumor 6 years ago. Zero, nothing – not if I paid $20K a year. She cannot be insured. How is it fair to give millions to a bunch of people who are responsible for their health problems? Fact of the matter is that people are like lab rats and respond to the stimuli around them. If they can sit around and eat and be unhealthy and still have coverage, they will. The system should be set up so overweight people or those who have health problems due to their own conduct pay out the ass for health care. How about instead of spending $2.4 Million we give the 100 fattest employees 3 months to lose 10% of their body weight or they’re fired. Ok, done ranting…
By Florida Watching August 13, 2010 at 6:59 pm
FITS – Nice tail shot. Soooooo, SC has a fatty pilot going on? For real? What is wrong with carrots and celery?
Crazy State.
By Florida Watching August 13, 2010 at 7:01 pm
Pam – Nice rant. I like your style. Keep giving them and Nikki hell.
By CNSYD August 13, 2010 at 7:43 pm
Pam in SC, What is an “angency”? Not familar with those. BTW, I have NEVER worked for any state agency. I just am opposed to those who want to paint all employees of any entity public or private with the same brush. Lets see, you want to run off every state legislator and replace them with who? I assume you are not aware that we have a Constitution in this state and the members of the legislature are elected by the voters of their respective districts. Therefore YOU can only vote for one senator and one representative. Who your fellow citizens elect in other districts is not something you can control. Obviously the people are happy with the majority of them as they keep getting reelected. Perhaps you are advocating a coup like those that occur in other countries.
By CNSYD August 13, 2010 at 7:47 pm
Watching from Afar, please stop injecting sense and logic into these discussions. You are ruining some people’s nice little fantasies.
By countryboy August 13, 2010 at 9:05 pm
I think our legislators (and I mean all of them regardless of party) have secretly had bypass surgery – brain bypass.
By OH HELL YES August 14, 2010 at 1:43 am
Just sayin….many of the country’s lap band and gastric surgery patients are Medicaid recipients. Your tax dollars are already paying for these surgeries. Most private plans will not cover them. If you are a private pay GB patient, get ready to shell out around $30K deposit to the hospital to be applied against your total hospital bill. Add to that dozens of bills for presurgical counseling, dieticians, doctors, and testing. Then add in the surgery and associated costs, and then bills for a lifetime of aftercare. Many, many surgery patients regain the weight back, plus some. So claims of cost savings are only as good as the patient’s ability to stay “on program” for a lifetime. I just can’t see a state health plan or Medicaid covering the cost of GB under any circumstance. Go to one of those info meetings…I went with a friend and was stunned to be in the room with one private payer, one private insurance, and the rest were all Medicaid recipients eligible for free surgery. I was disgusted.
By I hope... August 14, 2010 at 6:29 am
…Jakie Knotts will sign up for this in January. Maybe that surgery will change that fat ass blowhard’s attitude, but I doubt it.
By Florida Watching August 14, 2010 at 6:58 am
Yeah, what he said……….what did he say?????
By Florida Watching August 14, 2010 at 6:59 am
Chilax and enjoy the view…………
By Florida Watching August 14, 2010 at 10:46 am
Gary – How come we can bust on anyone except that card carrying Nikki?? What has she got on you??? Unsightly warts???
By Tummy the Giraffe August 14, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Watching from Afar let’s not let the facts get in the way of a good story.
If GB can save the state health plan money then I’m all for it. Sometimes you have to spend a little up front to save lot in the long run.
Also, Not too smart, I believe that the dreaded Obamacare (insert sarcasm) may be your solution with the inability to deny based on preexisting conditions. I’m not sure on that because I definitely did not read the bill. Too busy playing dominoes with my home boys.
By Paula August 15, 2010 at 9:01 am
These idiots are as bad as the idiots in Washington. WTF!