Disease Prevention Called a Better Bet
The results are laid out in a state-by-state breakdown.The District, the researchers found, would save $9.90 for every dollar invested, or $57 million over five years. Maryland would save $6 for every dollar, for $332 million over five years, and Virginia would save $385 million — $5.20 for every dollar spent.
The researchers arrived at their numbers by calculating potential decreases in several chronic diseases based on a $10 investment per person. They found that community health programs could reduce rates of diabetes and high blood pressure by 5 percent within two years and reduce the incidence of some forms of cancer and arthritis within 10 to 20 years.
The current health care system is not working. It is far too costly. It is not effective. It is a disease management system not a health care system. The damage to the economy of this broken health care system is huge.
Related: Prevention for a Healthier America Report – posts on improving the health care system – Improving health care portal
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