Joint Op-Ed in The Hill emphasizes prevention as a congressional and national priority

On Tuesday, John Auerbach, Executive Director of Trust For America’s Health and Prevention Institute’s Larry Cohen published a joint Op-Ed in The Hill. Prompted by recent bipartisan efforts to improve the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Op-Ed emphasizes prevention, which is essential for effectively achieving improved health, lower costs, and reduced burden on the health system. 

They write: 

“We are heartened to see there might be a bipartisan group of legislators exploring ways to improve the ACA. In these efforts, we all must go beyond the debate that whirled around the ACA. While access is undeniably important, prevention—which could prove even more valuable to the nation’s health and economy—was overlooked... it’s far better and less expensive to avoid an illness or injury than to deal with the consequences.”

“A few years ago, our organizations produced a study on the impact of investing nationally on community-wide strategies that would reduce chronic disease—diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and others. It predicted that for every dollar we spend, we would see a more than five-to-one return on investment. A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study confirmed this.”

“Bipartisan efforts to find effective solutions for healthcare in this country would do well to focus on prevention. In reality, the prevention of illnesses, injuries and premature death is truly bipartisan.”

The Op-Ed offers concrete proposals for policymakers to consider as they advance bipartisan approaches to health and healthcare: 

• Create financial incentives for healthcare payers and providers to prioritize prevention
• Support communities: Give states and localities more flexibility to advance health
• Commit greater resources to prevent behavioral health conditions

Read the full recommendations and Op-Ed: Ounce Of Prevention Is Worth A Pound Of Cure