PFCD Executive Director Ken Thorpe Testifies Before House Subcommittee
Calls on Congress for Greater Investment in Public Health, Especially for Chronic Disease
Prevention and Management
WASHINGTON, D.C. [Feb. 14, 2008] - Today Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease Executive Director Ken Thorpe, Ph.D., testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies about the social and economic consequences of underinvestment in public health. Specifically, he discussed the effect that chronic disease -- the leading cause of death and disability in the U.S. and the primary driver of rising health care costs -- has had on the American people and the U.S. economy.
"We are paying far too great a price for our inattention to chronic disease, which not only enormously affects our quality of life, but also contributes to significantly lower productivity in the workplace and slower economic growth," says Dr. Thorpe. "With greater investment in the public health infrastructure to aid prevention and management of these conditions, the federal government can provide itself with the necessary tools to make America’s health care accessible, affordable, and efficient. I am honored that Chairman Obey and Representative Walsh invited me to address their committee, and I thank them for the opportunity to discuss this important subject."
In his testimony, Dr. Thorpe called on Congress to consider multiple solutions to begin resolving what is a complex and challenging problem, including:
- Focusing prevention on our most vulnerable populations, including children and adolescents and racial and ethnic minorities;
- Obtaining far more information on how best to manage patients with multiple chronic health conditions; and
- Increasing R&D in preventive medicine and care, among others.
Chronic diseases are responsible for seven out of 10 deaths and 75 percent of every health care dollar spent in the U.S. The doubling of obesity rates between 1987 and today accounts for nearly 30 percent of the rise in health care spending. These are conditions that, with proper early intervention, diet, and exercise, could be prevented, delayed, or minimized. More than 130 million Americans today have a chronic disease.
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.
The PFCD's mission is to:
- Challenge policymakers - in particular, the 2008 presidential candidates - to make the issue of chronic disease a top priority and articulate how they will address the issue through 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
Leaders in the effort represent more than 85 leading organizations from across health care, business and labor including Aetna, American Academy of Family Physicians, Alliance for Aging Research, American Academy of Physician Assistants, American College of Nurse Practitioners, American College of Preventive Medicine, American Hospital Association, American Pharmacists Association Foundation, Disease Management Association of America, Kerr Drug, Integrated Benefits Institute, International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, NAACP, Milken Institute, National Association of Manufacturers, National Medical Association, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, Service Employees International Union, Sheet Metal Workers International Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and YMCA of the USA, among others.
For more information about the PFCD and its partner organizations, please visit: http://www.fightchronicdisease.org.
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