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 ...
How about the U.S. not pay for anyone’s health care?
I do like a doughnut as a treat, it has been months since I had one, but chocolate chip cookies? Oh darn. (I’m hitting the Gym every M-W-F at 6:45 am and I am 71. Won’t stop. Can’t stop.
I read a long time ago, that smokers cost healthcare less, because they die sooner. Anyone know about that?
Soda and smoking are very different, so it is counterproductive to conflate the two.
I support campaigns against smoking, and encourage buildings to ban it.
Given what most of us pay for health insurance, base-jumping meth heads should be fully covered.
First you give the federal gov't the unconstitutional right to govern your healthcare.
Next, gov't will start managing your life.
NUKE UNCONSTITUTIONAL GOV'T INTERFERENCE IN HEALTHCARE!!!!!
Do you support any assistance to any foreign country?
Are they more worth helping than your fellow Americans?
Should “society” charge you for health care they do not intend to provide unless you obey them?
I think society should pay for my donuts. Yes.
Government should pay for any health care. We have privacy. But not with a socialist government like RFK believes in
base-jumping meth heads?
Bet there ain’t too many of those............
Healthcare would depend on how much and what kind of treatment one receives.
There's also he fact that about 25% of people are basically immune to lung cancer risks because they have a gene that shuts off lung cell mutations.
“If you’re smoking three packs of cigarettes a day, or engaging in unhealthy sexual practices, should you expect society to pay when you get sick?”
Better: Should society pay for your healthcare?
Or your retirement or your education or for the flood or wind that damaged your property or your mortgage or your cell phone or your groceries.
Government should not pay for any health care. We have privacy. But not with a socialist government like RFK believes in
Where is it in the founding documents?
Throw being a homosexual and/or promiscuous in the discussion and we can talk.
That’s why some of us didn’t want ACA.
My father died of Salem at the age of 75. It's unbelievable how much his last five years of ill health cost someone.
Health and physical fitness is not impacted by eating a few doughnuts.
Yuck I hate donuts. I do not want to pay for the health care of smokers or drinkers. Or obese people.
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