The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease Calls for Fiscal Responsibility and Sustainability in Regard to Health Care Costs
Washington, D.C. – As the scrutiny of America’s budget deficit intensifies, the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, today reiterated the paramount importance of curbing America’s escalating health care costs by containing the system’s biggest cost driver: chronic disease.
With health care approaching 20 percent of our GDP, and Medicare, Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Programs consuming 21 percent of the federal budget, the PFCD strongly encourages federal leaders to focus a portion of budget reduction efforts on addressing health care costs in America by providing sustainable preventive and disease management solutions. Making strategic investments that promote prevention, enhance care coordination and management, and support better adherence and self-management are not only vital to reducing the burden of chronic diseases that affect 1 in 2 Americans, but also alleviate its trillion-dollar economic impact as well.
“Focusing on the biggest cost driver in health care – chronic disease – is increasingly critical as our country works to address and reduce the deficit,” said PFCD Executive Director, Ken Thorpe, Ph.D. “By promoting programs aimed at realigning the system toward preventing the onset and progression of costly chronic diseases, real strides can be made to reduce the deficit through sustainable health care solutions.”
Overall, 75 percent of what America spends on health care goes to treating chronic illnesses. In Medicare and Medicaid alone, chronic disease treatment accounts for more than 95 percent of spending. These numbers in mind, the PFCD suggests the following considerations as our leadership advances budget proposals:
- Managing chronic illness can effectively prevent progression and costly complications;
- Addressing health disparities can improve health status for all populations and lower costs; and
- Prioritizing prevention can undoubtedly lessen productivity losses and produce health improvement gains.
Concluded Thorpe: “Our economic progress is inextricably tied to our progress in improving the health of the American people. We can save money, save lives and improve the economy by continuing to support policies that advance the necessary research and innovation to prevent and treat chronic conditions that drive medical spending. As we delve deeper into the deficit discussions, there is no better time than now to discuss how we can collectively bend the health care cost curve.”
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About the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease
The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) is a national coalition of patients, providers, 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.: chronic disease. For more information, log-on to www.fightchronicdisease.org or follow the PFCD on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ThePFCD) and Twitter (@KennethThorpe).
Media Contact Karyn Barr Amin (202) 223-9260 pfcd@allisonpr.com
