The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
July 17, 2008
A small strategic investment in disease prevention could result in significant savings in U.S. health care costs, according to a new report released today by the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH). In its report, entitled Prevention for a Healthier America: Investments in Disease Prevention Yield Significant Savings, Stronger Communities, TFAH finds that an investment of $10 per person per year in proven community-based programs to increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and prevent smoking and other tobacco use could save the country more than $16 billion annually within five years. This is a return of $5.60 for every $1.
“Health care costs are crippling the U.S. economy. Keeping Americans healthier is one of the most important, but overlooked ways we could reduce these costs,” said Jeff Levi, Ph.D., executive director of TFAH. “This study shows that with a strategic investment in effective, evidence-based disease prevention programs, we could see tremendous returns in less than five years—sparing millions of people from serious diseases and saving billions of dollars.”
Out of the $16 billion, Medicare could save more than $5 billion, Medicaid could save more than $1.9 billion, and private payers could save more than $9 billion.