In a move that turns the "no-hassle rewards" idea on its head, British conservatives proposed the much-maligned National Health Service (NHS) issue "Health Miles Cards" through which patients can earn reward points for healthy activities such as losing weight, or be penalized for "unhealthy" activities such as binge drinking.

Earning rewards can help NHS beneficiaries (if you can call them that) get discounts on fruits and vegetables, or even move to the top of the list for public housing. Not following the NHS' guidelines could mean the loss of some routine treatments, such as hip replacement surgery.

Although the Tories should be congratulated for even this half-hearted attempt at NHS reform, further nanny-fying the NHS isn't the way to do it. Public health activists worldwide often call for seatbelts, helmets, smoking bans, and trans fats restrictions because of the costs they impose on others. But the problem isn't that people smoke, eat trans fats, or drive without seatbelts. The problem is collective health care, which restricts personal freedom in the name of socializing costs. That's why all of the "health miles" in the world won't fix the inherent problems of socialized medicine. When Britons can take full responsibility (and accept the consequences) of their health decisions, healthy behaviors will follow.