[from occupied ga]

hep A and B have vaccines available. I have a problem with junkies getting any sort of tax dollars. Drug use is a lifestyle choice, not a disaster forced on someone by bad luck or bad genetics.

[OKSooner]

"hep A and B have vaccines available. I have a problem with junkies getting any sort of tax dollars. Drug use is a lifestyle choice, not a disaster forced on someone by bad luck or bad genetics. "

Okay. I'd never be the one to defend junkies getting tax dollars...

[NYorkerInHouston]

Problem is in our system there are many ways for those individuals to use our tax dollars. If their poor lifestyle causes them to wind up in an ER they get treated and frequently admitted (as is required by law). Toxicology screens identify those active users but we still are required to treat. Just as bad are the chronic medical problems that can arise from past use of drugs which result in additional health care dollar expenditure. Chronic treatment with medications, evaluation for opportunistic infections in the case of HIV; treatment for hepatic failure in the case of Hepatitis C and evaluation and treatment for complications such as hyperammonemia. Even if Sovaldi and hepatic transplantation are not offered, a medical hospitalization can easily run into thousands dollars.

It would probably save more tax dollars trying to prevent this stuff in the first place... not that that has been successful either.