Surgery Denied to Smokers & Obese - Kick The Habit First!

As seen on Digg. Direct link here.

"Cash strapped UK hospitals say smokers will be denied life-changing operations unless they agree to kick the habit. Obese and smokers are at a greater risk of complications and the move will help save them money on further care."

Great news IMO - I personally hate seeing my tax money being squandered on such cases... What about you?

 

Makes sense to me.

 

Socialism and freedom don't mix. If you pay your own bills, go right ahead and smoke or continue drinking or whatever. But if taxpayers pay the bills, the rules need to be a lot tighter.

 

Personally, I think you have delusions of grandeur as to how much you actually contribute to the country.

As to the issue itself, I think it's a fair request provided that they enforce it on others. For instance, don't drink heavily.

Emergency surgery should always be performed regardless--unless we take the view that human life isn't worth saving.

 

There's probably a difference about smokers having surgery with a tumor planned weeks in advance than getting injured in a car accident and your fat belly protected MOST of you from the impact... we wouldn't be THAT pathetic.

 

This is ridiculous. Smokers pay the most taxes with tax from tobacco contributing the largest slice to the NHS budget.

I want a reduction in taxes if I'm going to be turned away from hospital because I smoke. Who do I ask for a refund?

 

How about this statement then?

Is a human life worth saving if the owner of the body didn't deem it worth maintaining?

 

What about the people that injure themselves in car accidents because they were speeding? Should we refuse treatment for them because they were at fault?

 

I thing it's a ridiculous decision. They're just as equal as everyone else - This would mean they're not getting what they're paying for. And what's that about "tax being squandered"? How much extra is it you have to pay? It's not as if it's going to reduce anyone to poverty paying that tiny bit extra.. It annoys me when people complain about tax, it makes you sound as if you're greedy and value money more than what it really is. It's cotton paper, a bit of copper or cheap silver - Human life is worth much, much more.

 

I see a "Saw" Effect

 

I think it's a load of s***!

Denying healthcare to the sick? How can that be acceptable?

What about drink-related healthcare costs?

 

How about people who don't get proper exercise?

How about people who use bad posture and then end up with hurt backs?

How about people who lift heavy things incorrectly and hurt their backs?

How about people who get beaten up because they exercise poor social skills?

lorien is exactly correct, socialism and freedom don't mix.

 

What about the lady who is getting a full face transplant? Does she promise to take care of her new face better than her old face? It's a serious question.

The other lady who got the partial face transplant because she tried to kill herself and her poodle ate it off; already started smoking again. Should she have not been allowed to get one, afterall?

 

Since their taxes are paying for it.. that makes it more tricky.

However.. in places where taxes aren't paying for it (like the US for example) I think it's perfectly acceptable.

 

Heh. I'm proud of the NHS.

 

Is Britain one of the countries where medical care outside of the government system is illegal, or can you pay for decent health care in Britian?

 

You can go private. That way you skip 3 years waiting lists and pay 100 times as much.

 

LoL Medical care outside government illegal? C'mon man, we aren't super restricted like China or N.Korea

 

Or Canada...

 

I thought a Canadian court ruled (last year or so) that private practices were allowed under the law?

http://www.heritage.org/Research/HealthCare/hl892.cfm