More on the so-called healthcare reform bill

They plan on charging higher premiums if you use tobacco but not if you use drugs.

From the article:

The summary of the bill published by the committee specifically states that premiums may be varied to account for tobacco use, but any other use of a person’s record of insurance claims, health status or medical history will be forbidden.

I wouldn't be surprised if there aren't other little gifts like this hidden in that monster bill.

Here is the link to the summary.

An interesting bit from the summary:

Community Transformation Grants: This section authorizes the Secretary to award competitive grants to eligible entities for programs that promote individual and community health and prevent the incidence of chronic disease. Communities can carry out programs to prevent and reduce the incidence of chronic diseases associated with overweight and obesity, tobacco use, or mental illness; or other activities that are consistent with the goals of
promoting healthy communities. [§ 321]

That part in red covers a lot of territory. In fact it could cover just about anything. Maybe I could get a Community Transformation Grant of $1 million to convince people to quit cutting the mufflers off their vehicles because that makes them so loud that the drivers will go deaf and that is a community health issue.

Here is another part you might have heard about:

Immunizations: Authorizes states to purchase adult vaccines under CDC contracts. Currently, 23 states purchase vaccines under CDC contracts. These contracts for adult vaccines provide savings that range from 23-69 percent compared to the private sector cost. Authorizes a demonstration program to improve immunization coverage. Under this program, CDC will provide grants to states to improve immunization coverage of children, adolescents, and
adults through the use of evidence-based interventions. States may use funds to implement interventions that are recommended by the Community Preventive Services Task Force, such as reminders or recalls for patients or providers, or home visits. Reauthorizes the Immunization Program in Section 317 of the Public Health Service Act.
[§ 324]

Maybe states can use that money to fund "Health SWAT Teams" to come and kick in your door, hold down your children and vaccinate them whether you like it or not.

Remember the CDC studying firearms deaths as a health issue? Think about that when you read this:

National Prevention, Health Promotion and Public Health Council: Creates an interagency council dedicated to promoting healthy policies at the federal level. The Council shall consist of representatives of federal agencies that interact with federal health and safety policy, including the departments of HHS, Agriculture, Education, Labor, Transportation, and others. The Council will establish a national prevention and health promotion strategy and develop interagency working relationships to implement the strategy. The Council will report annually to Congress on the health promotion activities of the Council and progress in meeting goals of the national strategy. [S 301]
Prevention and Public Health Investment Fund: Establishes a Prevention and Public Health Investment Fund. The goal of the Investment Fund is to provide an expanded and sustained national investment in prevention and public health programs to improve health and help restrain the rate of growth in private and public sector health care costs. This will involve a dedicated, stable funding stream for prevention, wellness and public health activities authorized
by the Public Health Service Act. [S 302]

You say I'm just being paranoid about that, but are you sure?

This whole thing is just a big pile of "the government will do this" and "the government will fund that" and a lot more intrusion into our lives.

There is no system so bad that large dose of federal government won't make it worse.