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> but it is very destructive and unhelpful in the long run. If the United States ever moves to a public-funded healthcare regime, it will also be more expensiv

> but it is very destructive and unhelpful in the long run. If the United States ever moves to a public-funded healthcare regime, it will also be more expensive and destructive to care for from a government budget perspective.

forrestthewoods 6y ago
False! Unhealthy people are great for saving money. Health care costs are disproportionately skewed towards end of life care. People who are unhealthy die younger and more quickly. Edit: Here you go. https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/health/05iht-obese.1.9748884.html https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/health/05iht-obese.1.9748...
- lotsofpulp 6y ago
  Assuming the healthcare issues resulting from being overweight result in a sudden death. Considering they result in chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension and require things like heart bypass surgeries, I doubt it.
- kevin_thibedeau 6y ago
  After 20 years of avoidable diabetes.
- OminousWeapons 6y ago
  Obesity is strongly correlated with chronic healthcare issues (stroke, coronary artery disease, cardiac issues, diabetes, cancer, etc) and poor health outcomes overall. This has partially been directly linked back to signaling from adipose tissue. Being fat is unhealthy; this has been known for awhile; full stop. We can absolutely expect an aging, obese population to contribute to increased healthcare costs. Additionally, while end of life care for the elderly is one significant contributor to health care costs, managing patients with multiple chronic healthcare conditions actually is the single largest cause of healthcare spend. If we want to be blunt, your assumptions are wrong: Fat people typically don't die suddenly while young, they die slowly after battling chronic disease, and they rack up costs while doing so.
- spaetzleesser 6y ago
  Nonsense. You just move the years of suffering and high health care expenses to a younger age.
  - edanm 6y ago
    But you still have less years overall of high health care expenses, don't you?

forrestthewoods 6y ago

False! Unhealthy people are great for saving money. Health care costs are disproportionately skewed towards end of life care. People who are unhealthy die younger and more quickly. Edit: Here you go. https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/health/05iht-obese.1.9748884.html https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/health/05iht-obese.1.9748...

lotsofpulp 6y ago
Assuming the healthcare issues resulting from being overweight result in a sudden death. Considering they result in chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension and require things like heart bypass surgeries, I doubt it.
kevin_thibedeau 6y ago
After 20 years of avoidable diabetes.
OminousWeapons 6y ago
Obesity is strongly correlated with chronic healthcare issues (stroke, coronary artery disease, cardiac issues, diabetes, cancer, etc) and poor health outcomes overall. This has partially been directly linked back to signaling from adipose tissue. Being fat is unhealthy; this has been known for awhile; full stop. We can absolutely expect an aging, obese population to contribute to increased healthcare costs. Additionally, while end of life care for the elderly is one significant contributor to health care costs, managing patients with multiple chronic healthcare conditions actually is the single largest cause of healthcare spend. If we want to be blunt, your assumptions are wrong: Fat people typically don't die suddenly while young, they die slowly after battling chronic disease, and they rack up costs while doing so.
spaetzleesser 6y ago
Nonsense. You just move the years of suffering and high health care expenses to a younger age.
- edanm 6y ago
  But you still have less years overall of high health care expenses, don't you?