Prevention Matters

Sen. Jud Gregg, R-NH, touted prevention as a cornerstone of his alternative proposal to reform the nation's health system. Gregg, the ranking Republican on the Senate Budget Committee, explained his "CPR" proposal - standing for "Coverage, Prevention, Reform" - in an op-ed on the Yahoo!News website.

"This proposal... aggressively focuses on the need for more robust preventive care and creates incentives for people and businesses to work toward better health sooner, rather than later when such measures may not work and crisis treatment is much more costly," Gregg says.

"By offering first-dollar coverage for early health screenings and immunizations, this program will create the foundation for healthy lifestyles and reduce the need for later treatments," he says. "Further, by rewarding employees for taking part in employer-sponsored programs, which often include programs to help people quit smoking, fitness club membership options, and affordable access to programs like Weight Watchers, CPR creates incentives that will motivate Americans to take control of and improve their personal health.