HEALTH CARE COSTS BRUISING ECONOMY

Dear Editor:

Like the small businesses profiled in "Health Care Costs Bruising Economy" (San Francisco Chronicle, Sept. 10), our nonprofit organization too is struggling to meet the increasing costs associated with providing an adequate level of coverage to our staff and their families. Health care costs here increased 14% over the past year, and 20% the previous year. These costs will continue to rise so long as technological and pharmaceutical advances make expensive treatments more readily available for all that ails us. The American taxpayer will continue to foot the bill for this, either directly out of pocket, in the form of depressed wages, or through subsidy of rapidly expanding public programs like Medicaid and Medicare. Unfortunately, mention of the real solution to this crisis -- prevention -- has been glaringly absent from the policy options offered by the two leading presidential candidates. We know that preventing injury and disease first and foremost will save lives and, by lessening the demand for expensive treatments, money. What's lacking is the leadership to ensure adequate investment in effective prevention efforts.

Sincerely,

Diane Aranda
Prevention Institute, Oakland

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Putting Prevention at the Center of Community Well Being
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