Transcript Jeffrey Levi Presentation - Alliance for Health Reform

Preventing Chronic Disease:
The New Public Health
Jeffrey Levi, PhD
Alliance for Health Reform Briefing
June 10, 2011
Chronic Diseases Require a Look
Beyond the Biomedical Model

Any discussion of cost containment must
focus on chronic diseases


Key behaviors: physical activity, nutrition, and
tobacco use
Few clinical preventive interventions

Emphasis on community: policy, systems,
education, programs


There is a growing evidence base
This is prevention and treatment
The Economic case
Prevention for a Healthier America:
Financial Return on Investment?
With a Strategic Investment in Proven Community-Based Prevention
Programs to Increase Physical Activity and Good Nutrition and
Prevent Smoking and Other Tobacco Use
INVESTMENT:
$10 per person per year
HEATH CARE
COST NET
SAVINGS:
RETURN ON
INVESTMENT
(ROI):
$16 Billion annually
within 5 years
$5.60 for every $1
New federal investments

Prevention and Public Health Fund


Communities Putting Prevention to
Work/Community Transformation Grants



~$375 million for chronic disease prevention FY10-11
Building on evidence based strategies
Policy and systems change for lasting effect
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation

Community Improvement Care Models Group

Exploring steps to improve public health and make communities
healthier and stronger by fighting the epidemics of obesity,
smoking, and heart disease
National Prevention Strategy

Role for prevention across the government and
across sectors



“Co-benefits” of using a health frame
Emphasis on creating an environment where people
can exercise their personal responsibility to make the
healthy choice
Thinking across silos

Example: physical activity affects chronic disease, falls
among elderly, depression, drug use, risk for STDs, etc.
Prevention Viewed As a Money-Saver; And Worth
Investing in Even If It Doesn’t Save Money
80
80
70
71
70
70
60
60
50
50
40
40
24
30
24
30
47
20
20
10
10
41
12
0
Prevention will
save us money.
Prevention will
cost us money.
11
0
Investing in
prevention is worth it
even if it doesn’t
save money b/c it
will prevent disease
and save lives.
Investing in prevention is
not worth it if it doesn’t
save money b/c reducing
health care costs is most
important now.