Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease Testifies at DNC Platform Hearing
Calls for Health Care Platform to Address Rising Cost of Chronic Illness
Cleveland, Ohio (August 1, 2008) - The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) testified today at the Democratic National Committee’s Platform Hearing in Cleveland. Mark Blum, PFCD Advisory Board member and Executive Director of America’s Agenda: Health Care for All, spoke on behalf of the PFCD, encouraging the Democratic Party to make addressing the epidemic of chronic illness in the U.S. a core part of its platform.
"To truly support Americans’ health and improve their lives," Blum said during the hearing, "the Democratic Party must lead us toward a future where prevention and appropriate management of disease is a priority. We must guarantee that we have the right public and private policies and incentives in place to support Americans and help them make good decisions about their health."
Chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, areresponsiblefor seven out of 10 deaths and 75 percent of every health care dollar spentin the U.S. These are conditions that could either be effectively prevented or minimized through simple, low-cost disease prevention and management programs, which would eliminate, not just shift, costs from the U.S. health care system.
"Better prevention and management of common chronic conditions offers great opportunity for savings," said Blum.
About the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease:
The PFCD is a national coalition of more than 100 patient, provider, community, business and labor groups, committed to raising awareness of the number one cause of death, disability, and rising health care costs in the U.S.: poorly prevented and mismanaged chronic disease.
The PFCD's mission is to:
- Challenge policymakers - in particular, the 2008 presidential candidates - to make fighting chronic disease a top priority and discuss how they will address it in their health care proposals
- Educate the public about chronic disease and potential solutions for individuals, communities, and the nation
- Mobilize Americans to call for change in how policymakers, governments, employers, health institutions, and other entities approach chronic disease
For more information about the PFCD and its partner organizations, please visit: http://www.fightchronicdisease.org.
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