PFCD Applauds President Obama on Continued Commitment to Reducing Burden of Chronic Disease
President’s Budget Allocates $1 Billion to Activities that Demonstrate Improved Health Outcomes
Washington, D.C. – The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease commends President Obama for placing chronic disease back into the national spotlight and urging for a more robust commitment toward proven prevention strategies. According to the President’s budget proposal released today, $1 billion within the Prevention and Public Health Fund (Fund) has been allocated to reducing the national burden of chronic disease – a top cost driver in health care – by supporting activities that have demonstrated improved health outcomes and a reduction in overall costs.
“The CDC has made it widely known that chronic disease is a primary driver of health care costs – accounting for more than 75 cents of every dollar we spend on health care in the U.S.,” said PFCD Executive Director, Ken Thorpe, Ph.D. “Despite this staggering number and the agreement by both Republicans and Democrats that investments in improved health leads to decreased costs, we continually see the issue of chronic disease being pushed the backburner. The President’s budget proposal aims to correct this wrong by reprioritizing our health care system and dedicating the funds necessary to prevent and manage costly chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.”
With prevention serving as a core theme in today’s proposal, the President also urged for a sound investments to other proven prevention strategies, including:
- $535 million for prevention services within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), specifically targeting early risk factors that can improve behavioral health outcomes for children and young adults;
- $154 million to behavioral health supportive services for homeless individuals; and
- Expanded access to HIV/AIDS treatment, care and prevention via increased funding for the Enhanced Comprehensive HIV Prevention program and the National HIV/AIDS Federal Implementation Plan.
“So many cost drivers in today’s health care system could otherwise be diminished if we simply focused on building comprehensive and long-lasting prevention and disease management programs,” Thorpe added. “We at PFCD understand that health reform cannot be accomplished overnight and that improving health and reducing costs through early prevention, detection and treatment is a long-term commitment. That’s why we are encouraged by today’s proposal and view the President’s investment in proven prevention strategies as a solid step in the right direction. We simply ask that as Congress moves ahead in its discussions, they collectively remain focused on outlining and achieving a holistic approach to disease prevention and management as opposed to implementing one-off or short-term solutions. Only then will true cost savings be achieved.”
Currently, 133 million Americans – or 45 percent of the population – have at least one chronic disease with more than 1.7 million Americans succumbing each year to heart disease, diabetes, cancer, asthma and the like. Projections show that by 2025, chronic diseases will affect nearly half the U.S. population. With these numbers in mind, PFCD and its partners have actively been urging for the prevention and management of chronic disease as a cornerstone of comprehensive health reform. For more information on PFCD and its policy proposals, go to www.fightchronicdisease.org.
About The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease:
The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease is the leading U.S. NGO committed to raising awareness of the number one cause of death, disability, and rising health care costs in the U.S.: chronic disease.
