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Buck United States News  Arizona Governor Proposes Flab Tax 978
Hugh Pickens writes "The WSJ reports that Arizona governor Jan
Brewer has proposed levying a $50 fee on some enrollees in the
state's cash-starved Medicaid program, including obese people
who don't follow a doctor-supervised slimming regimen and
smokers. Brewer says the proposal is a way to reward good
behavior and raise awareness that certain conditions, including
obesity, raise costs throughout the system. 'If you want to
smoke, go for it,' says Monica Coury, spokeswoman for Arizona's
Medicaid program. 'But understand you're going to have to
contribute something for the cost of the care of your smoking.'
Coury says Arizona officials hadn't yet finalized how they would
determine whether a person was obese or had sufficiently
followed a wellness plan, but that measures such as body-mass
index could provide some guidance. Estima