Report: Community health programs would reduce costs

Building a stronger public health system in the United States was the agenda today for the Trust America’s Health report that came out today. In the report recommends investment in more nutrition for America’s children. According to the report this would cost a total of $16 billion over a period of five years.

The Trust for America’s Health stated today that American’s spend on average of 2.2 trillion on health care a year, citing 2007 statistics. The organization cited community prevention programs as a way to reduce health care costs and added that a greater emphasis should be focused on preventative health care. Recommendations included everything from safe places for people to walk including trails, sidewalks and streets as well exercise programs that motivate people to walk two thousand steps more per day.

Former Senator Nancy Kassebaum Baker who spoke on behalf of the report said “if there is one thing that you take away from this is, is the importance of this issue now and the money it can save in the long run for health care costs. But more importantly as has been stated is the quality of life in the future.” Kassebaum Baker agreed with the reports findings and stated that the report will encourage public health suggestions.