The Associated Press reported that an increasing number of US troops were turning to "military lipo." The military personnel undertook the procedure to meet the strict body fat requirements of the Pentagon. Not passing the physical fitness tests could jeopardize an officer's chances of promotion or removal from service. Reduced defense budgets have made passing these physical tests a major concern for those in the military.
The report further said that cosmetic liposuction would not be covered by military insurance. Fat removal through this procedure can cost over USD 6,000, the report said.
A Forbes report in last year revealed that the healthcare spending comprised a major chunk of defense spending. An estimated 9.5% of the base defense spending goes to the military health budget. Military health spending was USD 52.5 billion of the requested USD 559 billion defense budget last year. This was separate from the Department of Veterans Affairs' requested budget of USD 132 billion. Of this amount, USD 51 billion was allocated for health care.
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