We Do Not Need Health Care Reform

The United States does not need health care reform, we need to stop being lazy and take responsibility for our own health.

Chronic health conditions like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes are among the leading causes of death and disability in America. Chronic health conditions account for 7 out of 10 deaths among U.S. citizens each year. These chronic health cause major limitations in daily living for 25% of people with these conditions.

Although chronic health conditions are among the most common and costly of all health problems, they are also the most preventable. Adopting healthier lifestyles and behaviors such as eating more nutritious foods, exercising, and avoiding tobacco use can prevent or control the devastating effects of these illnesses.

The Toll of Chronic (Preventable) Disease in the United States 1

• In 2005, 133 million people, almost half of all Americans, lived with at least one chronic health condition.
• Chronic health conditions and diseases account for 70% of all deaths in America.
• The health care costs of people with chronic health conditions account for more than 75% of the nation’s $2 trillion health care costs.
• Chronic health conditions account for one-third of the years of potential life lost before age 65..
• The direct and indirect costs of diabetes is $174 billion a year.
• The estimated direct and indirect costs associated with smoking exceed $193 billion each year.
• The estimated total costs of obesity was nearly $117 billion in 2000.
• Cancer costs the United States an estimated $89 billion each year in direct health care costs.

Health care reform is not the solution to the health crisis in the United States. Having free health care will only worsen the problem by making it easier for people to continue being lazy and not take responsibility for the decisions we make each day.

The solution to the health crisis in the United States is fairly simple, we need to make healthy food choices, exercise daily and learn to manage our stress. By making these simple changes we can drastically reduce our health care spending and live longer and better lives.

Lastly, if you have children then you have double the responsibility in this crisis. The habits you teach and demonstrate for your children will have a major impact on their lives in the short- and long-term. Failure to help your child make healthy food choices, exercise daily and manage their weight borders on abuse.

Source

1. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008.