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RFK Jr.: If You Eat Doughnuts or Smoke, Should Society Pay for Your Health Care?
MSN/Washington Post ^ | 4/11 | Lauren Weber

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 ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: donuts; donutssmoking; rfkjr; smoking; universalhealthcare
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To: Quickgun

Polical payoff for his support.


61 posted on 04/11/2025 10:39:23 AM PDT by Bonemaker (invictus maneo)
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To: yldstrk
I do not want to pay for the health care of smokers or drinkers. Or obese people.

And why should anyone pay for yours?

62 posted on 04/11/2025 10:40:17 AM PDT by fruser1
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To: nickcarraway

This idea is one of the most totalitarian imaginable. Do we have to record our eating habits and report them to the govt each week? Will we get a list of “acceptable” behaviors? All for the “public good” of course.


63 posted on 04/11/2025 10:41:32 AM PDT by Seruzawa ("The Political left is the Garden of Eden of incompetence" - Marx the Smarter (Groucho))
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To: nickcarraway

The Feds already have a plan to reduce costs on money spent to take care of smokers. Have had this for 50 years and longer.

Tax the bleep out of cigarettes and enact a national agenda to educate people that cigs are dangerous and smoking ain’t cool.

Should they take this even further and allocate all healthcare costs due to smoking be paid from a general tax fund collected by users?

“Sorry Mr. Jones, the tax fund per individual is only $250,000. You’ve exceeded that amount, so you’re on your own.”

Enact the same for fatties. You lose $1,000 in taxpayer healthcare benefits for every pound you’re overweight.

Etc, etc.

And of course....No more free abortions or sex change operations.


64 posted on 04/11/2025 10:41:35 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd (Nobody elected Elon Musk? Well nobody elected the Deep State either.)
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To: Quickgun

“Of all of Trump’s picks, my least favorite is RFK.”

I really like RFK’s policies. Not sure I trust him as a person, though. Time will tell.

My least favorite is AG Barbie.


65 posted on 04/11/2025 10:42:46 AM PDT by MayflowerMadam (It's hard not to celebrate the fall of bad people. - Bongino)
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To: yldstrk

I love doughnuts but I am fighting the eternal weight battle so I touch a few very sparingly.


66 posted on 04/11/2025 10:44:27 AM PDT by wally_bert (I cannot be sured for certain, but in my personal opinion I am certain that I am not sure..)
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To: algore

One doughnut equals about a half gallon of milk for me to go with it.


67 posted on 04/11/2025 10:45:17 AM PDT by wally_bert (I cannot be sured for certain, but in my personal opinion I am certain that I am not sure..)
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To: yldstrk

What is your chosen terminal illness that will cost a small fortune?


68 posted on 04/11/2025 10:45:51 AM PDT by Bonemaker (invictus maneo)
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To: nickcarraway

Why should “society” pay for ANYONE’S health care?


69 posted on 04/11/2025 10:47:21 AM PDT by simpson96
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To: Tell It Right

As long as no law will raise health care costs for minorities with poor health choices, I don’t foresee this happening.


70 posted on 04/11/2025 10:47:25 AM PDT by midwest_hiker
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To: nickcarraway

We would get smokers come into the hospital gasping for air..and they treated royally...iv steroids..antibiotics..breathing treatments and oxygen if they need it...when discharged they go right back to smoking.


71 posted on 04/11/2025 10:47:36 AM PDT by cherry
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To: Secret Agent Man

My insurance premiums and bills I have to pay are not addressed to “society”

“Society” has paid jack shiite of any of my premiums or medical bills.

________________________________

Oh yes they have. Maybe not by tax dollars, but if you’re on a Blue Cross kind of private group insurance policy then the hundreds of thousands of dollars paid to you (not you personally) have been paid by increasing rates for the good guys. You know, Society.

Kind of like (exactly like?) shoplifting. We all pay for that.


72 posted on 04/11/2025 10:48:29 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd (Nobody elected Elon Musk? Well nobody elected the Deep State either.)
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To: Mr Ramsbotham
last five years of ill health cost

Unless you drop dead on the spot, the last five years is pretty expensive in general.

Especially if you're someone like Christopher Reeve (Superman actor) who was paralyzed while playing the very healthy activity of polo.

And his treatment went quite a bit more than five years IIRC.

73 posted on 04/11/2025 10:50:44 AM PDT by fruser1
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To: Secret Agent Man

It’s not about the money to democrats like Kennedy. It’s almost like a hypersexual urge to control other people.


74 posted on 04/11/2025 10:50:50 AM PDT by Bonemaker (invictus maneo)
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To: fruser1
And every pack of cigarettes sold goes to pay into the Master Settlement Agreement where manufactures pay states billions for the sin of smoking.

And this is where funds to pay healthcare for smokers should come from. And when that fund runs dry.... No more healthcare for you.

75 posted on 04/11/2025 10:52:41 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd (Nobody elected Elon Musk? Well nobody elected the Deep State either.)
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To: nickcarraway

I’m in total disagreement with that line of thinking. Sorry Bobby.


76 posted on 04/11/2025 10:54:55 AM PDT by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped)
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To: nickcarraway

I eat doughnuts and smoke. I also still fit well into my Plaid Bell Bottoms from the 70s. Using us Doughnut eating smokers as a stereotype is offensive!!

KMA RFK!!...


77 posted on 04/11/2025 10:56:35 AM PDT by sit-rep
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To: cherry
go right back to

And how many treated for sports injuries go right back to their favorite risky activity?

How many accident victims go right back to driving?

How many treated for STDs go right back to having sex with more than one other person?

How many treated for melanoma go right back to the beach?

Yada...

78 posted on 04/11/2025 10:56:43 AM PDT by fruser1
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To: MayflowerMadam; Quickgun

Add Kash Patel to the top of the list, and now you’re talking.

Instead of firing agents who persecuted J6ers, he’s promoting them!


79 posted on 04/11/2025 10:57:17 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd (Nobody elected Elon Musk? Well nobody elected the Deep State either.)
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To: Responsibility2nd

And where do the funds for all the other risky behaviors out there come from?


80 posted on 04/11/2025 10:57:49 AM PDT by fruser1
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