Health Care Is Not a Right Without Individual Accountability

Try getting elected to office with the word accountability in your campaign rhetoric.

We have all read and heard about the many areas being debated and mismanaged in Washington as the fiasco related to health care reform rambles on. But one area, and in my opinion, the most important, individual accountability, is never mentioned.

People argue whether health care for all is a right -- it is not. Given all the medical facts, if an individual makes the choice to smoke and they contract cancer why should "society" pay for their treatment? At the very least their reimbursement should be significantly reduced versus someone whose cancer was not caused by their lifestyle choice.

The same principle applies to diabetes, kidney failure and heart disease that results from obesity. Currently 30% of the population is obese and 65% (97million) are overweight or obese. According to the department of Health & Human Services 50% of all medical costs are attributable to preventable illnesses -- do the math!

Our lack of individual accountability relative to health care is outrageous and bankrupting our country. I know there are religious, moral and cultural implications but the last time I checked no god, religion or culture believed that we should choose a lifestyle that makes us sick, ultimately kills us and debases our country.

We are a nation of people who want the freedom and right to make our own lifestyle choices -- but the price for that right should be based upon individual accountability not on "entitlement" programs. Until that happens and based on the results to date it won't, all the other proposed solutions to our Health Care crisis whether dictated by our incompetent Congress or less than ethical Insurance Companies won't keep us from becoming more financially ill and ultimately DOA (Dead On Arrival).