Poll: Should smokers be denied access to Medicare? (Australian Medicare)
- Thread starter Lem0nade Inlay
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I would say no, because the assumption is that they would be going to the hospital for something related to smoking, when they might actually be coming because they were involved in a hit and run car accident. "Denying smokers medicare" seems like too big a blanket statement that would prevent them from getting the care they would need for unrelated issues.
As someone already suggested, I'd be more for making them pay for smoking-related treatments. You don't have to smoke, but you can't always avoid being seriously injured.
As someone already suggested, I'd be more for making them pay for smoking-related treatments. You don't have to smoke, but you can't always avoid being seriously injured.
Ummm.. based on some older numbers and adding in the last SUPER FUCK YOU SMOKERS 25% tax increase and the GST, it's somewhere between 75-80%... hard to pinpoint because the Federal Excise is linked with the CPI, which is revised every 6 months (and the most recent hard numbers I could pick up in a quick search are from '07 and there's been a few tax hikes on tobacco since then as well).ottenni said:
Oh yeah... here's something... that new 25% tax increase that came in on April 30? The Federal Government announce it would generate $5 BILLION in extra revenue over a 4 year period... or $1.25bn pa (because I don't think after 4 years they're gonna remove the tax)...
So yeah, don't be touching smokers healthcare after THAT bullshit.
So yeah, don't be touching smokers healthcare after THAT bullshit.
A non-smoker costs the health service more in their lifetime than a smoker does, on average. The smoker dies early, of a rapidly onsetting disease. The non-smoker dies late, often of a condition that gradually worsens over many years and costs more to treat.
So perhaps the question should be, should public healthcare be denied to tee-totallers who refuse to smoke, drink or take drugs, for being so goddamn healthy that they end up living longer and actually costing the system more?
Smokers are actually doing the country a favour by choosing to die early.
So perhaps the question should be, should public healthcare be denied to tee-totallers who refuse to smoke, drink or take drugs, for being so goddamn healthy that they end up living longer and actually costing the system more?
Smokers are actually doing the country a favour by choosing to die early.
Like you said, if you do it to smokers then you must do it to alcoholics etc
But overall i'd say no, they do deserve the same healthcare as everybody else, you can't alienate them for it, its not like they're lesser people for smoking.
- edit. Wow, a hell of a lot more people said Yes than I thought.. I'm losing faith in humanity.
But overall i'd say no, they do deserve the same healthcare as everybody else, you can't alienate them for it, its not like they're lesser people for smoking.
- edit. Wow, a hell of a lot more people said Yes than I thought.. I'm losing faith in humanity.
As much as I dislike smoking, there is absolutely no argument for denying them healthcare. I do think that there should be other incentives to stop smoking though... for example, charging an additional 'Health tax' on smokers (and anybody else that goes out to screw up their health).
They should get medicare, though I personally would raises taxas as much as I could, hopefully that might make some people quit, or at the least make it less of a strain on the health service, theirs meant to be a huge gap between money got from smokers to money spent.
And skateboarders, and mountain climbers, and cyclists, and surfers, and drivers, and everyone else who has already paid for their healthcare by paying their goddamn taxes.Zeithri said:
You want to deny me healthcare? Then fair enough, the i'll take an exemption from paying a portion of my taxes, thank you very much.
The fact that this question is even being asked is a sign of how demonized smoking has become. Being a smoker nowadays is like being a jew in 1930's Nazi Germany.
My mom smokes.
I'm pretty sure that's reason enough to allow healthcare to smokers.
If you say otherwise, I'm going to pull your spine out your ass.
I'm pretty sure that's reason enough to allow healthcare to smokers.
If you say otherwise, I'm going to pull your spine out your ass.
This is an issue with no perfect answer but I think that if the problem is directly related to he/she smoking then I think they should but if they smoke but have a accident of some kind and I.E. break a arm then they should get it for free because that could happen to anyone
In that sense, you should also deny those that eat too much junk food, or drink alcohol and don't get enough exercise.
Woops. I meant to vote yes, not no. The topic title is the opposite of the poll title.
Point is, I suppose their justification for not offering health care to smokers is that smokers are putting their own lives in danger by smoking and more likely to need more expensive healthcare. But that's walking a slippery slope. Should we deny healthcare to people who drive cars? How about professional athletes? Firemen?
For the record, I'm not a smoker.
Point is, I suppose their justification for not offering health care to smokers is that smokers are putting their own lives in danger by smoking and more likely to need more expensive healthcare. But that's walking a slippery slope. Should we deny healthcare to people who drive cars? How about professional athletes? Firemen?
For the record, I'm not a smoker.
Forbidden to those of an alcoholic nature because if you willingly and knowingly give a liver to an alcoholic then you're just wasting a good liver.BiscuitTrouser said:
And not all cigarettes do your liver harm. google the E-cigarette, pure nicotine, deemed the healthy way to smoke, or to cut down. However the idea that lung transplants could, in future, be denied to a smoker is something that can, and more than likely will happen.
Also, are you trying to say that not all people should have the opportunity to have free health care?