Goody, let's deny treatment for lung cancer to those who smoke, let's deny treatment for heart disease to those who are overweight, let's deny medical care to those who get into accidents that are their fault, etc. but let's keep paying for the healthcare of the illegals.
What's wrong with this picture?
The whole point of insurance is that you have a large group who is insured, some of them almost never need medical care, others do.
And note the article I posted a couple of posts back about NY having the labs send results of blood sugar tests directly to the government, because the government wants to monitor diabetics.
Maybe next time they are going to withhold treatment from diabetics, because their chances of recovery are less than those who don't have diabetes.
Where will it stop?
I am amazed at people who cite privacy and get terribly upset when the government monitors communications with known terrorists, but who think it's perfectely fine for the government to keep track of your personal habits and illnesses and make decisions on whether or not you get treated.
I agree with your comment, however the article was about state run Medicaid. People that can't afford health care shouldn't be smoking and expect the state (me) to pay for it when they get sick. The same goes other risky behaviors.
Only partly true. The idea of insurance is to pool SIMILAR risks. It isn't to have low-risk people subsidize high-risk people.
As examples, fire insurance premiums vary with the riskiness of house construction, the nearness to a fire department/hydrant, etc.; auto insurance premiums vary with age and previous accident experience (mine went up when I had an accident); life insurance premiums go up if you already have a chronic disease at the time you apply (I got hit with that when I bought insurance for my first wife, after she was diagnosed with kidney problems).
It's entirely reasonable for insurance companies to demand higher premiums for people who belong in higher-risk pools. The idea that they may be denied insurance completely is simply a red herring. They may find the higher premiums unaffordable, but that's not the same as being told they're absolutely uninsurable.
>>>Where will it stop?
"Target-Setting Methods
One of the three overarching goals for the Healthy People 2000 Prevention Initiative was to reduce health disparities among Americans(and globally)."