There's an interesting article out of the UK today that folks on this side of the pond might think about. It's something I suspected was inevitable for some time, so it's heartening, in a way, to see this discussion taking place.At issue there, as it will probably become here at some point, is when there's a national risk pool participating in the health insurance system, suddenly there's a much more direct link between myself and the lifestyle choices you decide to make.
When my neighbor decides to live on nothing but Marlboros and Big Macs, both consumed in his own home, most of the results of that decision go to him (and those involved in his insurance comapany's risk pool). They can raise or lower his rates depending on certain choices he makes.
However, if our country becomes part of (literally) the same risk pool under some sort of nationalized healthcare system, we all become more interconnected and the opportunity and justification for for punitive actions against non-conformers increases.
Will the government be able to say, "it is no longer legal to consume tobacco/alcohol/red meat/fritos" in the privacy of your own home because to do so hurts all of us economically?
Considering the public health arguments used to justify public smoking bans and the use of trans fats, I don't think a reasonable person can say that the above scenario's not all that plausible.
Pay attention before ordering.
6 comments:
I dont know about your health insurance plan (well a little as it used to be mine) but health insurance is not priced the same way as auto insurance.
If a person lives on marlboros and big macs now it already affects you financially. We are all part of the same pool now, rather than with your car you have different pools for people who crash a lot.
The only difference under a national system is the management of said system (which is the part that scares me), and the lack of a profit motive.
You also fail to demonstrate an adequate understanding of health care economics. Treating someone for a heart attack is cheap. They die or recover fairly quickly. The escalation in costs, which you see in your health care premiums, is mainly due to tests and precision procedures carried out by multi-million dollar machines, and pills locked up with exorbitant licensing costs etc.
For profit ventures (see Mayo's underground system of for profit entities) is really driving/killing medicine today. Granted we get some really good treatments that can identify specific genes or whatever, but at the expense of affordable everyday care.
I think the government saying "it is no longer legal to consume tobacco/alcohol/red meat/fritos" in the privacy of your own home because to do so hurts all of us economically" is a slighlty more legitimate argument than the government saying that you can't perform sodomy with your consenting partner, or that you can't choose what to do with your body, or you can't marry whomever you want to because it upsets a the moral leaders, and sanctity of civil institutions.
Obesity and diabetes are probably bigger issues than Tom pounding Greg, and Suzie and Jenn adopting a baby.
If government is going to be in my bedroom, they might as well be in my kitchen.
New Rule. No one who grew up near Rochester Minnesota is allowed to comment on healthcare issues.
;-)
I'm tied up in a project you used to work on, so I will think more about this and post back later.
Ah, now I had a little more time to read this.
While I'll never paint myself as the expert others are, you failed to grasp what I meant.
I didn't argue that a provider would actually realize a whole lot of savings by regulating folks' diets, only that they would have the rhetorical ammunition to argue for it.
Your point on the profit motive is well-taken, but if people were grouped into a government-mandated system of some sorts rather than one people can opt in and out of, I'l maintain my position that the gov't is more likely to step in on the health decisions we make.
I'm not touching the points on sodomy laws.
But thanks for explaining to me that autos are different than healthcare...I never realized that and appreciate you putting it in terms I am capable of understanding.
lol, sorry that did come off bastardish on my part.
I figured you didn't mean it like that, but on the other hand, i could feel my face getting red.
Funny...
Well, I'm off to use the bathroom. I'll try not to tap my feet only twice.
typical liberal elitism.
Post a Comment