The Early-Aging Work Force

Many physical complaints and illnesses, often requiring extensive and costly treatment, are now being closely scrutinized, with the potential for increased health care costs to each individual glimmering on the horizon. In the foreseeable future, those who are grossly overweight, with no genetic predisposition; those who abuse alcohol or drugs; and even those who do not exercise regularly, may be held responsible for payment of a large portion of their own health care costs for treatment of conditions incurred as a consequence of their lifestyle. Particularly for smokers, in centers of government and among insurance providers, the idea is evolving rapidly and with growing conviction, that smokers should be responsible for payment of a large portion of their own health care costs. The rationale is that those who smoke are guilty of deliberately inhaling toxins on a regular basis. These toxins have been proven to damage the human body and predispose it to suffering and disability from severe and often fatal lung and heart conditions. The cost of providing care for these conditions is staggering; therefore, the plan is to increase the health insurance premiums of smokers first, to help defray the cost of treatment, and, secondly, to act as a deterrent to smoking for all of society. What this means is that at least for smokers, the individual is now becoming accountable for his or her own health. Health care will no longer accept the full impact of cost for conditions which could possibly have been prevented by a change in living habits.