Preventative Medicine is a No Brainer

[Mike 03]

I can't believe people are arguing whether or not it is the right of the government (or, more realistically, the physicians, which is how I see it) to suggest that we practice healthy behaviors now rather than succumb to expensive chronic illness like Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, fatty liver, pancreatitis, obesity and the many illnesses that are related to it such as cancer, insulin Resistance, glucose intolerance, lipidemia, early onset dementia, and worse.

For each his/her own, but I think it is absolutely foolish not to practice the basic health recommendations as suggested by the National Institute of Health or just plain common sense.

Does it make me happy to know that I can't pay for my own health insurance because so much of my taxes are going to pay for medical procedures that were preventable if people had practiced good health?

Of course. I would be lying if I said otherwise. Sure, I resent it. But I also know resenting something is meaningless and against the spiritual practices to which I aspire. So it's just a lose lose equation for everyone.

To put it another way:

I take care of myself not just FOR myself, but because I'm very aware of what it costs everyone else if I should acquire a chronic illness like diabetes or become otherwise chronically ill. I've seen the cost in my own family, and to me it is a personal responsibility that is also a public responsibility.

[rucky]

1. Just incentivize it.

Tax credits for Y memberships?

WIC and EBT at farmer's markets - or better yet, subsidies for family farms, not GMO franken-shit.

Free screenings for the major offenders.

It IS a no-brainer.

[NMMNG]

2. Suggestions, yes.

Incentives, probably. Punitive measures, no. Punishment is never effective or desirable.

[mainer]

4. Well, we do punish people for not wearing seatbelts.

That's sort of forcing them to be health conscious, isn't it?

[Horse with no Name]

3. what about all of your money that is going to take care of those

who do reckless things--like drive too fast, dive into swimming pools, skydive, etc? The majority of those that do this are young,adult males, generally healthy and the costs for these injuries are ginormous.
While chronic illnesses DO take a large chunk out of the healthcare dollar, do not overlook the expense burden of trauma patients to the healthcare system.
The other thing that we have to look at, as a society, is the carcinogens in our environment and IF the government is providing healthcare--will THAT be an incentive to put stiffer regulations into effect for the corporations polluting our air and water?

There are MANY societal issues in play. High Fructose Corn Syrup in everything, for one. Lack of available daycare and afterschool programs for working parents--given the opportunity, I think many parents would rather their kids do that then to go home, lock the doors behind them and settle into a sedentary, albeit safe, environment.

[surrealAmerican]

5. In a rational system, preventative care would be free...

... for the patient, since it saves money in the long run.