Most marathon runners are terrible athletes who have terrible training goals and usually stop running due to self-inflicted soft tissue injury. This isn't expensive to treat since normally it's only rest is required to heal from ITB-syndrome or even shin splints. So they're rarely able to turn it into a lifestyle. Those who are able to continue probably are at a higher risk of osteoarthritis. I still stand by these people just cost less to provide healthcare for in old age (and I don't think there's selection bias at play here).
> Pre-ACA, some folks found themselves shoved off into "high risk pools", which often made them functionally unable to access healthcare.
Like I completely agree with this, that it solves this problem.
I was more so trying to raise the moral point about socialised healthcare (and I mean socialised in that loose sense) demanding a sacrifice from those who do take care of themselves. People are willing to suspend notions of natural inequalities to a point because most people still feel they live in a society. But there is a limit to this where people feel their burden is so disproportionate that they seek to emancipate themselves from it. The bonds of society are only so strong.