SMOKING: Pushes health over a cliff

In response to the front-page article: “Clerk takes exception to wellness,” County Clerk Cliff Hayes states he is a smoker who hasn’t been to a doctor in years and makes enough money that doubling his health care premiums won’t matter to him. If only Cliff could spend a week with me as a home health nurse case manager and with my spouse, who is a cardiac critical care nurse. Cliff would benefit from learning the common denominator of the people we treat is SMOKING. Poor preventative care, diabetes and obesity also factor in. Cliff — by your photograph, you will reach Medicare age soon. Do you expect Medicare to pay for your poor health habits?

CINDY LITTLE, RN, BSN

Hayden