Arizona Medicaid considers tax on smokers, obese (AP)

PHOENIX - Arizona cash short Medicaid program is considering charging patients for $50 per year if they smoke, have diabetes or are overweight. A spokesman for the Arizona health care cost containment system said Friday that the tax is intended to control health care costs by pushing patients to keep in good health.

"It engages the consumer to start having a greater awareness of how they fit into the larger puzzle of health," said Monica Coury, spokesman for AHCCCS. "We want to be able to provide health care to the people." And we want to stretch our dollars as far as possible. Part of which is engaging people to take better care of themselves. ?

Some employers in the private sector and the Governments of the States have instituted the increase in premiums of insurance for workers who are obese or smoked, but the Arizona plan would mark the first time a health program of the Federal State for low-income residents accused people to unhealthy lifestyles.

The tax applies only to some adults without children.

A part of the proposal affects people with diabetes. Coury said diabetic who fail to follow the orders of their doctor to lose weight would be subject to the charge of $50.

State Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema said which is not just for diabetics.

"This would be fine people with their own power and control, conditions" Sinema said. I have just Don "t think it is fair to defame a person with diabetes."

Obese people or chronically ill and those who smoke, would need to work with a primary care physician to develop a plan to help lose weight and otherwise improve their health. Patients that do not meet specified goals had to pay $50 in the proposal.

The plan requires approval by the legislature under Republican control, which was discussed $ 500 million of reductions to the Arizona Medicaid program to help eliminate a budget deficit of nearly $ 1.5 billion.

A charge for Medicaid patients would also require federal authorization, and federal rules could prevent Arizona for the application of the tax.

Coury says that the $50 fee are a way of showing the Arizona Federal Government is seriously considering out healthy individuals while extending and better manage the $.

"Part of which requires that we engage the consumer in active and healthy behaviors.

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