London (CNSNews.com) - As Britain grapples with what's been called an obesity epidemic, a leading government minister here says grossly overweight people should be denied surgery.
Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said in a newspaper interview this week she approved of doctors refusing overweight patients knee and hip surgery, until they lose weight.
Hewitt also said smokers should have to give up the habit before they are allowed to undergo surgery such as heart bypasses under Britain's National Health Service (NHS).
Overweight patients and smokers should be given access to programs that will help them lose weight and quit smoking, she said.
You may be saying, "Good." What happens when your ox is gored? Will they put limits on how much coffee you can drink, or how much chocolate you can eat, or how much red meat you can eat? What if they require a certain minimum of running, or weight lifting?
When your doctor has the coercive power of the state behind him, things can go downhill pretty fast.
And what about when the state is having a budget shortfall? No hip replacements until next year. No liposuction or facelifts, either.
Click on my socialism label at the left and see what's happening in the medical paradises that are Canada and Europe and tell me that's what you want. The Europeans and the Canadians aren't stupid--if socialized medicine could be done well, they'd be doing it. But they're not. And there's a reason for that.
That reason is exactly why I don't want socialized medicine in this country.
Hat tip to NewsAlert (see blogroll at left).
1 comment:
What if the reason they can't exercise is due to a hip or knee injury? And would we give the same thought to someone who had degenerative bone disorders due to lack of calcium in their diet from yoyo dieting and anorexic behavior? While I certainly wouldn't go overboard to provide aid to someone who weighs 400 pounds, there are people out there who have degenerative disorders that through the medical use of steroids and other medications, gain weight. To deny them services based on law makes as much sense as having the government prescribe meds. That is already an issue with HMO's that argue about prescriptions and procedures over doctor's recommendations. That is also why Washington state sees an influx of people getting private medical care that they cannot recieve under national care in Canada.
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