With Obamacare drastically increasing the cost of health care premiums (yes, not everyone is benefitting right now), Americans need to figure out a way to get a better return on their health care investments since many are spending so much money to support the system.
Health care costs are affected by a number of behaviors and actions, from smoking to wearing your seatbelt to exercising. Americans can improve their health with a few simple changes, according to CDC Director Tom Frieden and CDC Associate Director Harold Jaffe. After all, if the US is spending $9,000 per year per person for health care, why shouldn't we work to get a better return on the immense investment?
Unfortunately, because people are unwilling to make the proper behavioral changes to become a more healthy individual - 35.7% of US adults are obese, 18.1% smoke cigarettes, and 29.1 million people have type 2 diabetes - it is the job of our government, at the local, state, and federal levels, to adopt public health policies in order to reduce such behavior. Higher taxes on tobacco have reduced smoking rates. Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg attempted to keep large sugary drinks out of restaurants, convenient stores, and other eateries to combat obesity, but it was rejected by the New York State Court of Appeals on June 26 after two years of tussling. But broader legislative policies can help improve the nation's health.
Frieden and Jaffe also note the importance of increased delivery of preventive services within health care settings. Now that tens of millions of Americans are newly insured, the system must find a way to deliver such care to everyone in an expedient fashion. But this might be difficult as the industry is adapting to changes. Initiatives such as the Million Hearts program and the NFL's Play 60 work to prevent common chronic diseases that are typically in need of urgent and sufficient care. The Million Hearts program is looking to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes within the next five years whereas NFL's Play 60 works to encourage our nation's children to be active for 60 minutes a day in order to reduce obesity - a chronic disease that leads to diabetes and heart disease. These programs hope to keep a number of people out of medical settings.
Because a number of diseases are preventable and many behaviors can be easily changed, there is no question why the US can't better its health care system. In addition to the chronic diseases mentioned above, violence and injuries are preventable and more Americans can avoid falling ill by receiving the proper vaccinations and following suggested hygiene guidelines.
Now that more people are insured, it is our responsibility to improve the health care system and work to drive down costs through everyday practices. You can read more about Dr. Frieden's and Dr. Jaffe's report in this CDC news release.
