Sick Care System Versus Preventative Care System
Senator Tom Harkin's (D-Iowa) online Op-Ed piece "Shifting America From Sick Care To Genuine Wellness" bluntly stated what politicians and health care lobbyists need to know: America must become a disease prevention nation rather than what we are--a chronic disease nation.
Senator Harkin is senior member of the Senate Health Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and chairs the Senate panel that funds medical research and health care.
Harkin must know about the Department of Health and Human Services (CDC) #1 recommendation to prevent falling: Begin a regular exercise program that requires balance and coordination.
He assuredly must have read the June 22 TIME/The Health Issue wherein Dr.
Rosanne Leipzig from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine said "Exercise, exercise, exercise.
It's the only wonder drug we have.
" TIME's writer Tiffany Sharples added that adults who are physically active not only have a lower risk of disease, depression and chronic pain but are also less vulnerable to dementia.
Senator Harkin says we have a "sick care system.
" Harkin points out that a mind-boggling 95% of our health care dollars are spent on treatments.
President Obama advocates the largest investment ever in preventative care.
There is a great need to actively prevent disease rather than wait to treat seniors with broken hips (average cost $20,000), Alzheimers, Huntingtons, Parkinsons, ADHD, anxiety disorders, depression, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, prostate cancer, breast cancer, obesity--at a cost of $2.
3 trillion.
It takes 28 days to change a "bad habit.
" Why's it taking so long for U.
S.
to improve the health of the American people? [in June, the soon-to-be-financially-bankrupt state of California discontinued all funding for exercise classes at senior center residences.
One senior living facility in Huntington Beach wasted no time converting their exercise room into a sitting lounge with sofas and large flat screen television, complete with pizza night.
] Seems politicians and lobbyists aren't the only ones to blame.
Senator Harkin is senior member of the Senate Health Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and chairs the Senate panel that funds medical research and health care.
Harkin must know about the Department of Health and Human Services (CDC) #1 recommendation to prevent falling: Begin a regular exercise program that requires balance and coordination.
He assuredly must have read the June 22 TIME/The Health Issue wherein Dr.
Rosanne Leipzig from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine said "Exercise, exercise, exercise.
It's the only wonder drug we have.
" TIME's writer Tiffany Sharples added that adults who are physically active not only have a lower risk of disease, depression and chronic pain but are also less vulnerable to dementia.
Senator Harkin says we have a "sick care system.
" Harkin points out that a mind-boggling 95% of our health care dollars are spent on treatments.
President Obama advocates the largest investment ever in preventative care.
There is a great need to actively prevent disease rather than wait to treat seniors with broken hips (average cost $20,000), Alzheimers, Huntingtons, Parkinsons, ADHD, anxiety disorders, depression, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, prostate cancer, breast cancer, obesity--at a cost of $2.
3 trillion.
It takes 28 days to change a "bad habit.
" Why's it taking so long for U.
S.
to improve the health of the American people? [in June, the soon-to-be-financially-bankrupt state of California discontinued all funding for exercise classes at senior center residences.
One senior living facility in Huntington Beach wasted no time converting their exercise room into a sitting lounge with sofas and large flat screen television, complete with pizza night.
] Seems politicians and lobbyists aren't the only ones to blame.
Source...