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Originally Posted by Chest Rockwell
You're absolutely right. It should be defined as a preexisting condition. Where do we draw the line on "addiction" issues...how much of it is "my" issue, and how much of it is "societal?" I drink...I pay taxes and insurance premiums. I understand that at some point drinking becomes detrimental to my health, yet I'm a productive member (ostensibly) of society. What should be covered and what should not?
Believe it or not, this is an honest question...I've my own opinions on it, but their rationality (as is the nature of opinions) is suspect..what's your(in the general, not only ChifaRoo's) opinion?
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Well, here's the best way I can describe it my dad in law just recently had a heart attack and already has the early stages of lung disease (he's at 45% lung capacity). He smoked for 35 years. Fact is he now has several stints in his heart and he's going to have to take a lot of meds and get treatments that a personal with a health heart and lungs wouldn't have to worry about. He's quit cold turkey and says he's glad he did. He still wheezes when he laughs but at least he looks better. The fact is though he is going to die 10 years or so earlier than he needed to and his health care costs are higher because of his former habit.
Case number two the guy who mentored me had 18 stints in his body. He had two major heart attacks directly attributable to smoking and he refused to quit eventhough his docs begged him to. He died last summer. We buried a good friend of our family business and a good man. He was 69.