« Some Family Pics | Main | [Cue: Everly Brothers Music] Dre-ee-ee-ee-eem »

September 05, 2007

One Obvious Consequence Of A National Health Plan

Is that the politicians and bureaucrats decide to only treat those who are healthy

Failing to follow a healthy lifestyle could lead to free NHS treatment being denied under the Tory plans.

Patients would be handed "NHS Health Miles Cards" allowing them to earn reward points for losing weight, giving up smoking, receiving immunisations or attending regular health screenings.

Like a supermarket loyalty card, the points could be redeemed as discounts on gym membership and fresh fruit and vegetables, or even give priority for other public services - such as jumping the queue for council housing.

But heavy smokers, the obese and binge drinkers who were a drain on the NHS could be denied some routine treatments such as hip replacements until they cleaned up their act.

...The report calls for a greater emphasis on the "citizen's responsibility" to be healthy and says no one should expect taxpayers to fund their unhealthy lifestyles.

This really shouldn't be a shock to anyone; the Nanny-Staters are so much wiser than the rest of us, they know best how we should live our lives while they spend our money.

Now, I wonder, will the NHS now refuse coverage for drug addicts? Pretty unhealthy lifestyle, I'd say. Pregnant teens? Sorry! And I'm sure AIDS patients won't get any coverage, either.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at September 5, 2007 07:32 AM

Comments

Based on what I see happening in Canada, the Nanny-staters can kiss my (somewhat) oversized a$$.

Posted by: The_Real_JeffS at September 5, 2007 03:21 PM

...pull my bottle out of my cold, dead fingers...

Posted by: tree hugging sister at September 5, 2007 04:54 PM

I don't know, Mr. B, I think that insurance plans ought to be able to charge more for people who engage in voluntary behaviors that increase their costs.

The mathematicians who work for the insurers know by exactly how much having a BMI of 30 increases the likely healthcare burden for that particular patient, but they can't charge for that. You and I pay for their freeloading asses because we're all tossed in the common risk pool.

On the other hand, smokers would get a slightly lower premium because no matter how much cancer costs in the short run, fewer of them live to need hip replacements. That means no paying for anti-smoking meds, too.

Posted by: John at September 6, 2007 08:22 PM

I agree with you, John; private insurers should be allowed to do that.

But the whole point of this wondrous government health care that we are supposed to achingly embrace is to do away with precisely those nasty market-driven forces.

There is no reason to do away with a market driven, cost-conscious private industry if you are going to replace it with a far more expensive government bureaucracy that will be far less efficient and have the coercive power of the law to enforce its edicts...unless of course you subscribe to the idea that the only really smart people work in Washington and they really know what's best for all of us.

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at September 6, 2007 09:55 PM