State Senator Wants To Cut Health Care For Smokers

cbs4denver ^ | 2/05/06 | cbs4denver

[Calpernia]

>>>Who is going to keep track of everybody.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1563271/posts
Healthy People 2010

[Still Thinking]

This is fine, as long as the smokers are rebated the present day dollar value of the taxes they paid that would be paying for this coverage. You can't very well say "We accept smokers when it's time for paying INTO the system, but we start checking only when we're paying OUT."

[jackieaxe]

sig heil!

[Still Thinking]

Employers are making such decisions, and have every right to do so. Why should not government do the same?

Two reasons: The smokers already paid taxes that funded similar care for others. It's not fair to accept them for paying purposes, then reject them for collecting purposes. Reason two: The government has more of an oblogation to act in a non-discrimatory way than do private individuals; they collect taxes from everyone on a non-voluntary basis. Thus, while I feel it's bad business and morally wrong, I think private entitites have the LEGAL right to discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, height, weight, whatever (freedom of association). Services provided by the government are a different story, they are funded by the whole of the citizenry, therefore they cannot after the fact pick and choose which ones they will serve, or serve better.

[Dumb_Ox]

Habitual fast-food and junk food junkies will be next on the hitlist. Will the bill also apply to crackheads and druggies?

[MEGoody]

Uh huh. Then they'll cut health care for those who are overweight. Then for those who don't exercise X amount per day. Then they'll cut care for all those who don't eat based on a prescribed 'food pyramid'. And on and on and on. (Of course, they will never cut care to those who pariticipate in one of the most dangerous activities - homosexuals.)

[Snoopers-868th]

The anti-smoking nazis will argue that it can't be discrimination. After all, we CHOOSE to smoke.

So do those choose to stuff their face, not exercise, drink booze, drive cars, climb mountains, sail boats in bad weather, snowmobile on lakes, cross the street and on an on. All are legal choices. All choices have consequences--what makes one consequence better than the next? Smoking is the only one that is politically incorrect. People need to wake up and smell the coffee or is it tea or wine now?

[GoodWithBarbarians JustForKaos]

"However, should our tax dollars be spent bailing out or healing those who take avoidable risks with their health?"

Let me rephrase this for you:

However, should some of the smokers' tax dollars be spent on healing those who smoke?

Have you looked at the % of the cost of cigarettes that is taxes? Tobacco is the most taxed product ever in the USA and maybe the world.

[Bogey]

People that can't afford health care shouldn't be smoking and expect the state (me) to pay for it when they get sick.

---

Why should people that can't afford insurance be covered
anyway?
At least the smoker pays into the system through massive taxes on his cigarettes.
The non smokers cancer isn't any cheaper. And they have contributed nothing.

[Hot Tabasco]

afford to pay to treat smokers who get lung cancer, heart disease and other diseases linked to tobacco.

I might be wrong but wasn't the billion + tobacco settlement to the states via the feds designed to provide the funds for just this reason?

[EVO X]

At least the smoker pays into the system through massive taxes on his cigarettes. The non smokers cancer isn't any cheaper. And they have contributed nothing.

In order to get Medicaid, one is suppose to be darn near destitute. It is very likely that we are subsidizing their purchase of cigarettes. So they aren't contributing anything.

[Bogey]

In order to get Medicaid, one is suppose to be darn near destitute. It is very likely that we are subsidizing their purchase of cigarettes. So they aren't contributing anything

---

Hmmm. So the smokers on Medicaid still have to pay massive taxes to buy their smokes. When they buy a pack or carton, taxes are still fixed in.
Thus, reducing their average income. And padding yours.

How are the non smokers taxed for being.... let's
say.....hmmm. lazy boorish....slugs... who feel the world owes them a living...