God has spoken. Here's what he had to say:
The moment these new [health care reform] rules take effect, health insurance companies will promptly discover they have a powerful interest in reducing rates of obesity and chronic diseases linked to diet. A patient with Type 2 diabetes incurs additional health care costs of more than $6,600 a year; over a lifetime, that can come to more than $400,000. Insurers will quickly figure out that every case of Type 2 diabetes they can prevent adds $400,000 to their bottom line. Suddenly, every can of soda or Happy Meal or chicken nugget on a school lunch menu will look like a threat to future profits.
When health insurers can no longer evade much of the cost of treating the collateral damage of the American diet, the movement to reform the food system - everything from farm policy to food marketing and school lunches - will acquire a powerful and wealthy ally, something it hasn't really ever had before.
In other words, Pollan is FOR health care reform, but he thinks its not enough. He calls our food system "the elephant in the room" that is harming our health and raising health care costs. He points out that the government is on the brink of subsidizing both the causes of and the care for Type 2 diabetes.
The good news, according to Pollan, is that once we DO change the rules for the insurance industry, once they have to actually pay for the cost of care for sick patients, they will realize that good food is their friend. More good food (or less junk) = healthier patients = more profits for the insurance industry. So if and when that happens, will they get behind major reform of the food system? One can only hope.
I'm thrilled Pollan is saying this. It's more or less what I've been saying for a while... only I don't get to publish op eds in the New York Times. Thank goodness somebody with that kind of clout and national platform is speaking up! |
