Is it fair or unfair?

By nature I am a supporter of individual freedoms.  I feel that individuals should be able to make whatever health choices they want without interference.  Smoking?  Sure.  Fatty foods?  Sure.

But the problem here is that businesses are being held accountable for the health decisions being made by their employees.  It seems that many in this country have begun to see employer-provided health care as an entitlement, and indeed there is a movement afoot to force certain businesses to provide health coverage to employees (Maryland, for instance).  Given that reality, if we are going to demand that our employers pay for our health care we shouldn’t be surprised when our employers start being picky about how we live our lives.

After all, who can blame an employer for not wanting to hire someone who smokes when that employer might eventually be on the hook to pay for that employees cancer treatments?

This situation should be instructional for all who would make employers, the government or any person/entity who is not the individual responsible for paying for health care.  When you invite the government or your employer into your life to pay for your health care you invite them to use that as an excuse to tell you how to live your life as well.

So-called universal health care, and clearly even employer-provided health care, has little to do with the ideals of freedom and liberty.