PFCD Commends Senate Leaders for Continued Focus on Improving Health, Controlling Cost by Addressing the Burden of Chronic Disease
Over 230 Major Health Care Organizations Send Letter in Support of Provisions that Enhance Prevention, Wellness, and Disease Management
Several hundred members of The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) sent a letter to Senate leadership in recognition of their efforts to pass "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" -- landmark health care reform legislation containing numerous provisions for improving quality and affordability through chronic disease prevention, management and care coordination. More than 230 state and national PFCD partners signed on to a letter of support and comments for strengthening the legislation, which was sent to the Honorable Harry Reid and the Honorable Mitch McConnell.
The PFCD and its partners stressed that it is essential to make provisions that address the chronic disease crisis a cornerstone of health reform, and urged Senate leadership to ensure that investments in prevention and wellness are preserved if not enhanced. A recently released study based on research by PFCD Executive Director, Ken Thorpe, Ph.D., demonstrated the urgency of this issue by showing that without substantial efforts to improve health in America, health care spending on obesity alone will nearly quadruple to $344 billion by 2019.
"I'm encouraged that Congressional leaders are finally recognizing the need for prevention-focused policy changes," said Thorpe. "We continue to support Senate and White House leadership's efforts to reduce the toll of chronic disease and look forward to working together to ensure that key reforms are strengthened and sustained throughout this process."
Specifically, the following key provisions described in the bill focus on improving health in America through chronic disease prevention and management:
- Removing financial barriers for recommended preventive services and follow-up treatment;
- Developing a grant program for Medication Therapy Management to improve adherence;
- Funding a Community Transformation grant program presents a significant opportunity for population health improvement;
- Enhancing Medicare coverage through a biennial health risk assessment and wellness visit to create a personalized prevention plan; and,
- Facilitating "health home" options and "community health teams" for patients with chronic conditions and Accountable Care Organizations within Medicaid and Medicare.
About the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease:
The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) is a national and state-based 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 about the PFCD and its partner organizations, please visit: www.fightchronicdisease.org.
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