I haven't smoked a cigarette since I was 16 and only stopped then because it made me nauseous.? Thank God!? Otherwise I might be smoking like everybody else who started in the 70's because it was "cool." On the other hand, I've been eating happily since I was very very little.? I have no plans to quit any time soon.? Fortunately, I've had much less trouble than most of the people I know keeping weight off.? I'm? not skinny but I definitely don't struggle to lose a couple of pounds.? I can drop 5 pounds in a weekend if I just eat veggies and water.? I think I'm different than obese people that way.
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That's why I'm concerned about the push to increase insurance premiums up for smokers and obese people.? I think they should pay more for insurance they use but I don't think they should pay more for just being insured.? In other words, their deductibles may need to be higher or their copays may need to cost?more, but to shut people out of the market for insurance just because they're overweight or smoke seems to be harsh medicine.? It also doesn't seem to make sense to leave the socialized medical laws on the books that make the E.R. everybody's primary care opportunity if they don't have insurance.? It should be just for emergencies.? The solution is in the hands of the charitable community mostly.? The high costs associated with major surgery and end-of-life treatment can't be absorbed without freeing up doctors and health professionals to deduct their charitable service.? I see patients for free all the time but I can't claim it as a deduction on my taxes.? If I could deduct a portion of the service I could see more patients for free and not feel the "pinch" quite so severely.? I think health care facilities ought to be able to deduct services at somewhere near 50%.? Just a thought.? I hate to have the government deciding what the best solution is for health care.? Thay are notoriously bad doctors!
