Obesity Surgery Bill Gains Momentum

A bill authorizing the public employees' health insurance plan to pay for gastric bypass surgery is working its way through the capitol. MPB's Lawayne Childrey reports.

10 months ago Representative Steve Holland of Plantersville was 125lbs over weight with a myriad of health issues.

“I was in congestive heart failure, I was diabetic…”

His doctor told him he had to take the weight off.

“So I said how do we do that and they suggested bariatric surgery. I had that on June 18th, I’m 81 pounds lighter. I went from 9 medications to absolutely zero today. And I want other people to be able to participate in this. We are the most obese state in the nation. This is pretty much permanent and I’m doing fabulous.”

Holland's proposal, HB1530 would pay for up to 100 state employees a year to have the nearly $26 thousand dollar weight reduction surgery. But that doesn't sit well with Jackson school teacher, Yoby Allen.

“If you pay for the state employees to have the surgery then what about the other Mississippian’s that are obese and want to have the surgery as well. And then I think that’s more so a personal issue. You know it’s good to have support but I don’t think the state should come out that much money just to have that surgery.”

The Senate approved a version of the bill this week. Senate public health committee member, Senator Terry Burton of Newton.

If they would rather pay for a hundred thousand dollar heart surgery and still treat problems associated with obesity in that patient for another twenty years then I think that’s a bad mistake. I think that if you invest the money up front you save money on the back end. It will be a savings to the health plan in the long run.”

The bill now goes back to the house for final approval and could be headed to the governor’s desk sometime next week. For MPB News, I'm Lawayne Childrey.