Healthcare Spending: Prevention and Primary Care

NEW YORK CITY ??? Feb. 18, 2009, The New York Academy of Medicine was honored to host Governor Paterson’s address on Healthcare Spending and Reform, which focused on prevention and primary care. "Prevention is the most underutilized beneficial healthcare system that we have," said Governor Paterson. "It has a dual effect. It not only reduces the tendency of untreated people

Jo Ivey Boufford, Governor Paterson, and Commissioner Daines at Healthcare Spending and Reform address.

to develop severe illnesses; it also saves money. We should have been doing this all along. We should have been doing this when we had budget surpluses," said the Governor.

While the argument can be made that prevention’s initial investment costs more than it saves, it is clear that a focus on community based prevention is not only crucial for general well being, but that it can save money in the long run. The Governor explained that the state is getting $11 billion in Federal funding—healthcare spending is discretionary and seen as crucial in helping those most affected by the deficit; a shift in the way we've addressed spending.

Jo Ivey Boufford, MD, President of NYAM, applauded the Governor for his commitment to helping shift resources and incentives to expand and strengthen primary care capacity. "This is critical for New York State’s ability now and in the future to prevent and manage illness effectively and eventually avoid the human and financial cost of chronic disease and unnecessary hospital emergency care," she said. Through initiatives like the New York State Prevention Agenda, which promotes chronic disease prevention at the community level, and the Strategic Alliance for Health, a five-year plan to decrease tobacco use and improve local opportunities for physical activity and healthy nutrition. NYAM has been a long advocate for the type of healthcare reform announced today. Most recently NYAM contributed to Trust for America’s Health, Blueprint for a Healthier America, which is now being used by the Obama administration.

New York State Health Commissioner Richard Daines and Debra Bachrach, Deputy Commissioner of the Office of Health Insurance Programs and the New York State Medicaid Director, took the opportunity to discuss the state’s prevention agenda and hear the comments and concerns of advocates and community-based healthcare leaders attending the briefing. The stimulus package, the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, provides the opportunity to help with our deficit, and progressive leadership also provides us the opportunity to fix our current deficiencies while we’re able.

Community-based health leaders also applauded the Governor’s direction, but expressed some concern with shifting to a prevention agenda while also cutting some costs. "We’re shifting money because it saves money??? The way it saves money is by saving lives," said Governor Paterson.

View a webcast of the Governor’s address at NYAM here

Posted on February 18, 2009

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Contact:
Andrew J. Martin
Director of Communications
The New York Academy of Medicine
1216 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10029
212-822-7285
amartin@nyam.org

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