Re: No surgery for smokers or obese

It's estimated that smoking related illnesses cost the NHS £2billion per year.....taxes from cigarettes is £12billion per year.

Re: No surgery for smokers or obese

Very frightening thread. If Brits let the gov't get away with this, there is no end to what the gov't can and WILL do. What next ? No surgery for rugby players because it is too dangerous ? No surgery for women who have "too many kids"?(this is China's policy) No surgery for those who did not wear seat belts while riding in a car ? No surgery for AIDS patients, because they should have taken proper precautions ? No surgery for alcoholics/addicts ? No surgery for skiers who stray off the kiddie slope. No surgery for motorcyclists because everyone knows that motorcycles are extremely dangerous ?

Who was it that said it is the "thin edge of the wedge" ? He/she is right on.

Every human on the planet has, or should have, the right to pursue happiness. If your choice of lifestyle is dangerous , then so be it. When the government is allowed to interfere in that, then the end of life, as we know it, is finished.

DEMOCRACY OR TYRANNY. YOUR CHOICE

Re: No surgery for smokers or obese

The end of life as we know it?
Every human has the right to pursue happiness?
As many many people on the planet have NO HEALTH care at all and I'm not even sure about America -i suppose there is some health care there one hopes for the poor and destitute.
however it doesnt do to take ill in the USA unless you have hefty health insurance unlike Britain!

No one has the right to pursue happiness at the expense of other people .
If you want to kill yourself by inhaling a known poisonous addictive substance such as tobacco that is your choice .
Its not your choice to breath poisonous fumes over everyone else or expect others to pay for the consequences of your choices.

Health care for the poor in the USA - according to this is dire.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...b06a2c8edb45af

Re: No surgery for smokers or obese

As I said before, democracy or tyranny, it's your choice. People who need, desperately need, to control other people are the most dangerous people on the planet. Once they are allowed to "stick it to us", you can rest assured they will stick it all the way in.
Reading the numerous posts makes me thankful that I live in the United States. Here we have dozens of health care systems. There is no such thing as a waiting list (unless you are waiting for an organ donor to pass away, that matches your blood/donor type, like a liver or heart transplant). Everyone, and I mean everyone gets immediate health care. If you have a decent income, you are expected, of course, to pay up. If you are poor, there is NO COST ! NOT ONE PENNY !
There are some lunatics who refuse help but we don't try to force them unless they pose a danger to others or who are suicidal.

Case in point. My own health care does not cost me one penny. I have a primary care physician, whom I see every month or two, depending upon need. He has referred me to several specialists who I generally get to see within a month if it is not an emergency. Emergencies are seen within an hour or two. I have had heart stents placed on 3 different occasions, one semi-emergency surgery for gall bladder removal, which happened within 18 hours and one large bowel surgery for polyup removal, that last one I had within 36 hrs. My hearing aids are free. I have free dental care. One surgery on my spine when I broke it, falling off a roof, and one radical surgery for a totally shattered wrist, the specialist was in surgery all that day and I had to wait 7 hours, but since I was pumped full of morphine, I didn't mind one bit. Friends who came to see me in the E.R. said I was giggling like a 15 year old girl. Happy, happy boy.
My monthly meds which should cost aprox $900/month, actually cost me about $6/month.
IMO the United States has the finest health care system in the world. And, lest I forget, it has been this way decades before O'Bama and his attempted take-over of the entire health care system and his attempt to replace it with socialized medicine.
One final note, we do not discriminate against anyone even if they are those evil smokers. Nor will we ever do so.
God bless America and the United States Constitution where every one has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness !!!!

Re: No surgery for smokers or obese

That's not what it says here


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...e-1772580.html

And if American health care is so great for all why was the President pushing Obamacare ?

Re: No surgery for smokers or obese

I think most of us realise NHS hasn't got infinite money Bakerman, it has always been so and with so many expensive new treatments and increase number of people using the service we have to make decisions. In this country no one is denied life saving treatment no matter how much money they have or what lifestyle they chose, but elective surgery is different.

I've had life saving mastectomy but I'm now offered a new pair of boobs, I really appreciate getting my life saved bug I'm unsure I want NHS spending money on new boobs for me as I think there are more important things to spend that money on.

Re: No surgery for smokers or obese

Brexit will be the end of the NHS as we have known it. So enjoy it while it's still here.

Re: No surgery for smokers or obese

Always a cheerful comment Annie

Brexit won't be end of NHS it may actually help it if we can stop treating the entire world, because sadly we just can't do that and look after our own too.

Re: No surgery for smokers or obese

Are you fortunate enough to be eligible for Medicare Bakerman? Even then I didn’t think that things like dental care were completely free.

Can you help us understand why your medical care is free and yet we hear so much about US citizens struggling to afford or being unable to afford health care.

My US friends are fortunate to have good employer provided health care but there are still aspects of that care that they have to pay towards.

Re: No surgery for smokers or obese

Treatment of overseas patients doesn't cost as much as people think because they are being more successful in recouping it. Plus the expenditure you refer to is from outside the EU.

No, the costs of Brexit will just be an excuse for privatisation and reconfiguration.