Prevention Spotlighted in Latest Obama Television Ad
Coalition Commends Both Candidates for Talking About Prevention as Key Solution to Rising Health Care Costs
Washington, D.C. -- The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) commends Senator Barack Obama for highlighting prevention in his 30-minute prime-time advertisement last night. Well-designed prevention and disease management programs have been shown to provide cost savings, specifically by reducing rates of chronic disease, the number one driver of health care costs in the United States.
"Our country faces significant economic challenges that are only exacerbated by the high cost of health care, which is primarily driven by chronic diseases," said Ken Thorpe, PFCD Executive Director. "We were pleased that Senator Obama recognized disease prevention and management programs as a means to help reduce health care costs."
As the nation faces the worst economic crisis in decades, many have warned that health care could be the next financial threat on the horizon. The U.S. spends more than $2.1 trillion on health care each year, and with costs continuing to rise, many Americans are postponing care or finding they are unable to afford coverage.
"Health care costs will continue to escalate until we better incorporate prevention into our health care system. We need to move away from a "sick care" system and provide Americans with health care that focuses where it should: on promoting health and wellness," Thorpe concluded.
Both Presidential candidates have cited the health and economic benefits of prevention in discussions of health reform and during the Presidential debates. For the first time in history, the Democratic and Republican Party platforms have recommended chronic disease prevention and management as a means to control costs and improve both quality and access in our health care system.
About the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD)
The PFCD is a national coalition of more than 110 patient, provider, and community organizations, business and labor groups, and health policy experts committed to raising awareness of the number one cause of death, disability, and rising health care costs in the U.S.: rising rates of preventable and treatable chronic diseases. Please visit our Web site at www.fightchronicdisease.org.
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