[geeks] now Health Care

[Sandwich Maker]

" From: "Jonathan C. Patschke" <jp at celestrion.net>
" 
" On Thu, 22 May 2008, Sandwich Maker wrote:
" 
" > it's so skewed because many can't afford preventive care,
" 
" {long exegesis snipped]

i largely agree with you.  i also take care of myself as far as i can,
and rely as little as possible on the medical community, but i have
insurance because of some unfortunate tendencies in my family tree i
may yet discover i've inherited.

" > the new ma healthcare laws are aimed at this.  everyone has to have
" > coverage, but the state doesn't provide it.  it is progressively
" > subsidized for lower incomes, 100% if you make <$15k or so.  the goal
" > is that this preventive care will be cheaper than emergency room care.
" 
" Why not require people to stop buying crap food, smoking, and drinking,
" instead?  I mean, so long as we're going to say that it's "okay" for the
" government to put guns to peoples heads and demand that they do
" something[0], they might as well force them to do the right things.

it comes down to what you have the power to control and what you don't.
drinking was tried.  do you sit and curse the darkness because a cheap
lightbulb burned out, or do you replace it?  yeah, it should've been a
quality bulb, but you have to work with what you have.

" > would you rather stop smoking or get lung cancer?
" 
" Anyone dumb enough (and anti-social enough) to smoke cigarettes, knowing
" full-well what the result will be, deserves the expected outcome.  If
" you can spend the money on the smokes, you can damn well spend that
" money on cessation assistance instead.

...but tobacco companies load the dice by snaring smokers when they're
young and dumb enough.  by the time they're mature enough to recognize
the magnitude of the dangers they're already addicted.

" [0] What was that about "freedom of association" again?  What if I don't
"      want to associate with any health insurance company?  

i wouldn't be dismayed if the ma health ins laws were shot down over
something like this.
________________________________________________________________________
Andrew Hay                                  the genius nature
internet rambler                            is to see what all have seen
adh at an.bradford.ma.us                       and think what none thought