I attended todays Health Care Task Force meeting, and have a question, which I will also be directing to Heidi Low, who brought this issue before the committee.
If this proposal (tax increase on tobacco) is NOT just to suckle more revenue OUT of the pockets of the taxpayers and into GOVT coffers, wouldn't it be cheaper, and easier to implement a withdrawal of Medicaid benefits to smokers? Wouldnt it be prudent, and in our best interest, to find out how many on Medicaid are smokers? Smokers who ALREADY have health insurance are ALREADY paying higher premiums to thier insurance providers. So why should the State be allowed to legally plunder these individuals who are already taking responsiblity financially for thier healthcare?
Most importantly, if you choose to buy tobacco products, why should the GOVT force the rest of society to pay for the consequences of your personal decision to use tobacco, by covering you on Medicaid?
This proposal is being made UNDER THE GUISE of taking care of people (on Medicaid), and by deferring people from starting smoking, but in REALITY is a simply a plan to raise taxes.
Why wouldn't it be more logical, cheaper, and easier to implement this proposal? It would also make INDIVIDUALS responsible for thier own behavior, rather than a NANNY STATE taking care of citizen smokers who refuse to do it for themselves. (if you can afford tobacco, you can defer that $ to your own healthcare, but choose not to)
Is there a way to find out how many Medicaid recipients are smokers? We could then calculate the savings the State would get from removing those who smoke from recieving Medicaid, lowering the burden on ALL taxpayers, and reducing the size of government at the same time.
Thanks for your time, and I am eagerly awaiting your response.
Lori Shewmaker
Tell me what you think
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