American Government health spending seen hitting $1.8 trillion

[SamuelRSmith]

spurgeonryan said:

sethnintendo said:

That is what you get with most of the population fat and unhealthy.  Relying on prescription drugs rather than address the real problem.  Americans have become too lazy and will take a cure all pill for anything even though that pill is only hiding symptoms (and probably causing more problems).  Too bad the only way to really address it is with a lifestyle change.  Eating as little processed foods as possible and rarely going to fast food is a start.  Eating what you are supposed to goes a long way.  If you eat shit then you will probably become shit.  You are what you eat.

I think they should do what the want to do with smokers (cigarrettes);) If you are over weight then Medicare will not pay. It is hard to decide who that goes for though. Disabled should not be included. Same for people on state assistance! You can be on it but you better not eat like a fool or generalatively un healthy in general.

Forget about the economic arguments about whether public or private works best (private wins out), you, here, have pointed out the fundamental reason why you shouldn't support public healthcare. When the Government can control something as essential as your healthcare, they then have the ability to control a whole lot more.

Government doesn't want you smoking? Drinking? Doing drugs? Overeating? Not doing enough exercise? The Government controls your healthcare, if you want care, you have to stop doing these things. You know, skiing is a pretty dangerous sport, better ban that. Sky-diving, too. Football seems to cause a lot of injuries. Where do you draw the line?

You may scoff, but it can easily happen. The NHS has often toyed with refusing care for smokers and overeaters. I don't know if it has happened on a mass scale, but given budgetary problems, and the Government's staunch anti-smoking campaigns, it very likely will in the next 5 years.

And what about those dependant on the Government for housing? Or food? Dependancy just opens up the path to control.