UK to Deny Operations Unless Smokers Quit

One of the most common proposals I hear from otherwise conservative or moderate people is that govnerment run healthcare would benefit lots of people. But for everyone one of the "good stories" comes a story like this one:

Smokers are to be denied operations on the Health Service unless they give up cigarettes for at least four weeks beforehand.

Doctors will police the rule by ordering patients to take a blood test to prove they have not been smoking.


The ruling, authorised by Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt, comes after medical research conclusively showed smokers take longer to recover from surgery.

It is thought that 500,000 smokers a year will be affected.

However patients' groups argue that the move is about the NHS saving money rather than improving patient care.

They claim that health trusts do not want to operate on smokers because they stay in hospital longer, blocking beds and costing more to treat.

The ruling applies to routine operations such as hip replacements and heart surgery for conditions that are not immediately life-threatening.

If smokers refuse to give up, they are still likely to be treated but may have to wait longer.

So the government run health care in the UK, often cited as a good system by those who want such a system in teh United States will do two things.

First, they will tell you what is healthy and demand that you follow through. Most smokers know it is unhealthy for them, but they make that choice themselves. So the government will limit your freedom by limiting your medical care. What is that called---oh yeah--rationing.

Second, you may still get treated even if you continue to smoke, but you may have to wait longer for treatment. Let's see, that is called0---oh, yeah--rationing!

Do candidates like Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards and people who believe in government provided health care on a national scale really believe that Americans will stand for this kind of rationing? In order to control costs, sooner or later the government will have to start saying no.