Will We Have A Health Care System Or A Sick Care System?

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From Your Health Journal…..”Another great article from the Huffington Post by one of my favorites, Jeffrey Levi, who examines our health care system. I always try to promote articles by Mr. Levi and the Huffington Post, so I encourage you to visit the Huff Post site (link provided below) to read the complete article. I have included a snip below as well. Mr. Levi points out that every American deserves the right to be healthy, and have access to safe parks, access to health care, and affordable gyms. Sadly, more than one-half of Americans are living with one or multiple serious, preventable chronic disease, ranging from type-2 diabetes, heart disease, to cancer. And chronic diseases are responsible for seven out of 10 deaths. These rates are expected to increase significantly over the next two decades, particularly due to the obesity epidemic. Mr. Levi then outlines high-impact steps that should be taken to put prevention first in our health care system. Please, visit the Huff Post site to read this important article.”

From the article…..

It’s a right as old as the Declaration of Independence.

By birth, every American should have the opportunity to be as healthy as he or she can or wants to be. A government that is truly for the people provides everyone with world-class services that protect and support their health. This means access to care, but also access to safe parks and gyms and fresh affordable produce.

Unfortunately, more than half of Americans are living with one or more serious, preventable chronic disease, ranging from type-2 diabetes to cancer. And chronic diseases are responsible for seven out of 10 deaths. These rates are expected to increase significantly over the next two decades, particularly due to the obesity epidemic.

For years the United States has approached public health backwards. Indeed, the current health care system has been set up to treat people after they are sick rather than keeping them well in the first place. Our country has a sick care system rather than a health care system.

This is taking — and will continue to take — an enormous toll: Health care costs are spiraling out of control, and it is possible that today’s children are on track to be the first generation in American history to live shorter, less healthy lives than their parents.

America’s health faces two possible futures: 1) We continue on the same track, resigning millions of Americans to major health problems that could have been avoided, or 2) we increase our investment in giving Americans the opportunity to be healthier and preventing people from developing chronic conditions in the first place; in short, the nation focuses on guaranteeing that each American can be as healthy and happy as they choose.

Prevention is the most effective, common-sense way to improve health and reduce health care costs in the United States, but there’s never been a strong national interest in prevention. Beginning in 2013, prevention must be a significant focus of the Obama administration’s second term and the agenda of the 113th Congress.

To read the full article…..Click here