Exercise your rights and your voice

By DAN STRAYTON
As published Nov. 21, 2007

Chances are, if you are reading this column, you are either a current member of a health club, a future member of a health club or a past member who will one day be a member again. As a result, you need to pay attention to some discussions taking place in Annapolis recently. Your state Senate and House members are considering legislation that will have a significant impact on your wallet.

The state of Maryland is considering taxing health club membership fees by extending the state sales tax to your dues. At the same time, they are considering increasing the sales tax from 5% to 6% across the board.

With the ever increasing cost of health care in the state and around the country, it doesn’t seem right that legislators are considering taxing individuals who are making an effort to take control of their health.

Regular physical activity is proven medicine for many physical, mental and emotional ailments and there are few people out there who can honestly debate otherwise. Research has shown that regular exercise can impact not only the number on the scale but the number of health care dollars an individual spends.

Our health care system is overburdened with the effects of conditions like diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, low back pain, high blood pressure and the like. Again, regular exercise is proven medicine for these conditions and a “treatment” that has few, if any, negative side effects and one situated on both the preventive and treatment sides of the health care equation.

The more active we are, the healthier we are, the less of a burden we are to the health care system and the more independent we remain as we age.

Many health insurance companies and businesses have recognized this for some time and have chosen to reimburse their clients or employees, respectively, for the costs associated with maintaining an active lifestyle. More and more such companies are now reimbursing a portion of the cost of health club membership dues because they recognize the many benefits an active lifestyle has for their clients/employees (and, in the long run, their bottom lines).

This is the approach our esteemed representatives in Annapolis should be taking. Support those who are making an effort; do not place more obstacles in their way.

If you would like to make your voice heard, “exercise your rights” by going to www.healthclubs.com and utilize their site to send an e-mail to your legislators. All you need to do is write the body of an e-mail and provide your name and home address. The site will forward your message to the appropriate representatives for your area.

It is important that the people making these decisions hear your opinion and learn from the feedback of people who will be greatly impacted by such legislation. It is simple and quick to get your message down to Annapolis and it truly does have an impact. Legislators, on the state and federal level, rely on their constituents to help keep them educated and informed about issues they often have little time to research on their own.

It is up to you to make your voice heard and to exercise your rights. Tell the men and women in Annapolis that they should not tax your healthy lifestyle – say “No” to the Health Tax! Good luck citizens!


[Dan Strayton, general manager at Health Unlimited on Century Drive in Mt. Airy, holds a master's degree in exercise physiology and would be happy to answer any questions you may have about exercise, health and fitness. Write to him in care of the Mt. Airy Messenger, P.O. Box 897, Mt. Airy, MD 217710897; or send e-mail to dans@myhealthunlimited.com.]