Posted on 04/11/2025 9:48:37 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. asked whether society should pay for the health care of Americans who eat doughnuts or smoke when they know those habits can contribute to poor health outcomes. “If you’re smoking three packs of cigarettes a day, should you expect society to pay when you get sick?” the nation’s top health official asked in an interview released Wednesday with CBS News chief medical correspondent, physician Jon LaPook.
Kennedy went on to say that it is an American’s choice to “eat doughnuts all day” or drink sodas, and he promised not to take those choices away. “But in terms of, should you then expect society to care for you when you predictably get very sick at the same level as somebody who was born with a congenital illness?” he asked. “The best answer to that is to realign our incentives so that the economic incentives, the individuals and the industry align with the public health outcomes that we desire.”
Public health experts were alarmed by Kennedy’s remarks, saying they suggest that Kennedy may limit access to health care based on personal behavior. They also come as potential cuts to insurance for low-income Americans, Medicaid, loom amid a push for deep budget reductions in Congress.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
You mean out of all the possible traffic citations, insurance only penalizes two?
So if you speed or run a red light you pay higher insurance.
But if you have accidents, run stop signs, drive on the wrong side of the road, violate HOV rules, etc, you don't? Interesting. What company do you use? Lend us your expertise!
Sounds ridiculous right?
Well that's how health insurance works - of all the risky behaviors, only smoking and being "obese" are charged a premium.
I never suggested only two behaviors deserve scrutiny for their connections with chronic disease.
To me the biggest problem with the idea (as sensible as it might be) is that the healthcare industry can’t agree on what behaviors cause some of the major illnesses. Especially when it comes to food choices. It may also lead to further dependence on drugs to counteract the effects of behavior.
All the more reason to remember that third party involvement in health care means less freedom of choice. No matter if it involves what goes into your body or out of your pocket.
In all seriousness, if the govt ain't paying for it, then the reason for the health services is nobody's business. Be it risky sexual behavior, or smoking, or eating too much fat, or not exercising enough. Or if it was just a freak accident. Or whatever.
I, someone who lives a somewhat healthy life, don't want to pay for other people's choices. At the same time, I don't want the govt making sure I'm making the "right" choices either. We're all better off if the govt doesn't "help" us with our healthcare.
If someone buys a box of a dozen doughnuts to take to the office or to church, and just eats one, does he get charged for all 12?
Or will the government have spy cameras everywhere to catch people eating doughnuts?
Or will it all be on the honor system?
Will there be a maximum permitted number, like one a month?
Wait. How is that? I thought ACA was the opposite of that.
Don't worry, they are working on that.
let’s have the fedgov get out of the healthcare and insurance business altogether-get rid of Obamascare and medicaid, so they don’t pay for anyone’s healthcare, end their connection to big pharma and other healthcare lobbies-too-all of them. There are charities and cost-to-income clinics for the indigent-do all that, then watch our health care and insurance costs crash instantly...
Then let me choose/buy my own health insurance-just like I buy insurance for my truck-instead of having to pay my premium to mediscare-I’ll find a better deal. I’m a drug-free, organic paleo diet person, so I’ve only used mediscare once-for a cataract surgery-and I paid out of pocket a few $100s for the vision correction at the same time that I’ve wanted for years. I insist on managing myself-no yearly excuse for a doc to prescribe drugs, etc-my money is better spent for healthy fresh food and natural supplements, my regular bills, gas for work-every adult needs to do that-govt is not our mommy, and it is only raising costs through corruption to have it “providing” anything...
If you get AIDS from engaging in homosexual sodomy with dozens of strangers should society pay for your healthcare?
Ya got me there kemosabe. But mine won’t be related to self inflicted crapola.
Impatience with stupidity.
Before ACA, you could only be charged based on actual medical history. You could not “discriminate” based on behavior.
ACA has a specific clause allowing providers to impose a surcharge of up to 50% for smokers:
SEC. 2701 ø42 U.S.C. 300gg¿. FAIR HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS.
(a) PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATORY PREMIUM RATES.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—With respect to the premium rate
charged by a health insurance issuer for health insurance coverage offered in the individual or small group market—
(A) such rate shall vary with respect to the particular
plan or coverage involved only by—
(i) whether such plan or coverage covers an individual or family;
(ii) rating area, as established in accordance with
paragraph (2);
(iii) age, except that such rate shall not vary by
more than 3 to 1 for adults (consistent with section
2707(c)); and
(iv) tobacco use, except that such rate shall not
vary by more than 1.5 to 1;
What’s the ICD 10 code for that?
Or perhaps cranky old lady syndrome.
I don’t like the idea of excluding certain eating habits. It reminds me of how some people didn’t want to treat patients who didn’t get the Covid jab. Doctors seem to change their minds about what is healthy and what is not — like eating eggs.
there are doughnuts and there are doughnuts.
Some are like eating toxic waste.
Some are tasty food.
Such nanny state bullshit. Where does this overreach end?! What about alcohol users?! Pot users?! Vapers?! ???!!!
I dont have hundreds of thousands of dollars paid to me. I am g-d healthy. I’m the one paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to every frickin one else.
Well, you are talking to a curmudgeon!🤨
They would have to provide a list of what is healthy and what isn’t. It seems too cumbersome. And how would they know what we ate anyway?
But they’re doughnuts. . .
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