Obese teen surgery, AGAINST

I see a hospital in Canada wants to perform surgery as a treatment for obesity. I am against such treatments and I disapprove of MY health dollar supporting such efforts.

We frequently see people in clinic who are way, way over 200 pounds AND have had such surgery in the past. It does not work. It is a waste of resources and does not address why someone is morbidly obese. It is like giving bullets to an multiple and repeat killer.

Still, such treatment may not be against YOUR best judgment. You may think it is a great idea for your child, given full and complete information on the myriad of potential alternatives and the option to exercise your choice from amongst them.

Which brings me to my point. Medicos prefer exercising their mantra of drug and surgery solutions, all the while restricting access to potentially more viable options. Now as much as I may like funding the medicos to the point where they can play freely with all their electronic toys and other such beeping and blinking things, there may actually be better alternatives outside of the medico domain that are not currently accessible due to funding constraints. The medico monopoly always likes their options best.

There are many employers now that give their employees a health spending account. Employees may spend their account on pretty much anything they like from yoga through to spa sessions -- no questions asked. The idea being that rational individuals spend wisely and rationally. Kinda like you are the only one who spends your pay check despite dire consequence.

Yes, I support the health allowance. Make the medicos compete for your health care dollar. Fund the consumer NOT the provider. In this way dollars are allocated according to will of the populace instead of directed by a professional monopoly.