Recent crises in the U.S. financial sector have frightened the federal government into action, but we are ignoring an even larger impending crisis in the health care system -- a crisis that is placing hundreds of billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars at risk.
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Treatment of chronic illness accounts for over 75 percent of the more than $2.2 trillion the nation spends annually on health, and represents even higher proportions of spending in public programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.
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With the aging of the population, and growing problems of childhood obesity, a financial crisis in health care is inevitable without strong leadership for change.
We can't afford another bailout -- but we won't need to if we take action to prevent chronic diseases today before they become a crisis tomorrow.
WHO:
A discussion with two national health care experts about the far-reaching implications of this crisis and how the presidential candidates and the federal government can address this issue.
Tommy Thompson, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services; former Wisconsin Governor (1987-2001); and Co-Chair of the Wisconsin Chapter of the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease
Kenneth Thorpe, Ph.D., Executive Director, Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease; Executive Director, Emory Institute for Advanced Policy Solutions; and Chair, Department of Health Policy and Management, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Policy at HHS under the Clinton Administration
WHEN:
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
2 PM - 2:30 PM EDT (11 AM PDT)
WHERE:
Conference call
(866) 551-3680
Participant: 4698001#
The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) is a national and state-based coalition of more than 100 patients, providers, community organizations, business, labor and health policy experts, committed to raising awareness of policies and practices that save lives and reduce health costs through more effective prevention and management of chronic disease. Please visit our Web site at www.fightchronicdisease.org.
/PRNewswire-USNewswire -- Sept. 25/
SOURCE Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease
