Prevention Matters

Partnership President Robert J. Gould, PhD, warned in an interview for NPR's "All Things Considered" that prevention is being undervalued in the current health reform debate on Capitol Hill.

Even when congressional budget scorekeepers do concede that some prevention and wellness programs work as intended, Gould said, "they warn us that living longer would cost the government more money because people would be using additional Social Security and Medicare payments.

"So if the answer to the question is that people living longer and healthier lives is a problem, then you're asking the wrong question," he said.

He citied a study by Partnership's National Commission on Prevention Priorities, which reviewed the 25 clinical preventive services most highly recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. It found that five of those services actually save money, while another 12 were still considered cost-effective - costing less than $50,000 per additional year of life they would provide. He said that compares with $900,000 per year for a mechanical device to keep alive a patient with congestive heart failure.