Preventative Care

When discussing the rising cost of healthcare, the question is often raised whether the American healthcare industry is in the, “health business” or “the sick business.”  One of the great problems within American healthcare is the lack of attention and resources devoted to preventative care, or regular check-ups and screenings, which can play a large role in the prevention of costly conditions and their treatments down the road.  However, an emphasis on preventative care is not the sole responsibility of insurance companies and providers, as individuals themselves play a large role in disease prevention and the management of their day-to-day health through a good diet and regular exercise.  It is widely understood that paying to keep a person healthy is more cost effective than fixing them once they are sick.  In addition, staying healthy can play a large role in lowering the risk of chronic diseases and keeping healthcare costs down.  Preventative care calls for both more emphasis by providers on keeping their patients healthy as well as more individual accountability in the stewardship of their health.  Preventable conditions, particularly at the end of one’s life add a substantial amount to the rising cost of healthcare and containing such costs is both the duty of the healthcare system and individuals alike.

• 2/3 of healthcare spending in the last 25 years is due to the sharp rise in the number of treatable chronic diseases.³⁴
• 96 cents out of every Medicare dollar is spent on the treatment of chronic diseases, while 83 cents of every Medicaid dollar is devoted to the treatment of chronic diseases.³⁵
• The number of obese Americans has doubled since 1987, accounting for almost 30% of the rise in healthcare spending³⁶ 
• Heart disease is by far the no. 1 killer in the United States and it is estimated that  1/3 of its cases could be prevented if people followed better diets and exercised more often. ³⁷