Effort to deny Tenn. heath plan to smokers dropped

[Ghost in the Machine]

Effort to deny Tenn. heath plan to smokers dropped

Associated Press - January 27, 2010 6:35 PM ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - House Democratic Caucus Chairman Mike Turner is abandoning a proposal to refuse health insurance to new state employees who smoke.

Turner, of Nashville, announced on the House floor Wednesday that he is withdrawing the proposal under the "strong encouragement" of fellow Democratic Rep. John Litz, a tobacco farmer from Morristown.

The measure would have denied health insurance eligibility for tobacco-using state workers hired after Nov. 2.


Read HB2477 at http://capitol.tn.gov

http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11891189

[Make7]

1. Isn't smoking a pre-existing condition? ( n/t )

[TorchTheWitch]

2. no

A pre-existing condition is a medical problem you have or have had. Smoking is no more a pre-existing condition than is being overweight or an alcohol drinker or a sky diver or an older person. Though smoking, alcohol drinking, sky diving and being old are risk factors that may impact your health they aren't pre-existing medical conditions.

[Make7]

3. It's an addiction. The American Medical Association considers it a disease. ( n/t )