[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 58 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 58

  Expressing the sense of Congress that any effort to reengineer the 
 healthcare system in the United States should incorporate sustainable 
wellness programs that address the underlying causal factors associated 
                         with chronic disease.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 24, 2009

 Mr. Langevin submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of Congress that any effort to reengineer the 
 healthcare system in the United States should incorporate sustainable 
wellness programs that address the underlying causal factors associated 
                         with chronic disease.

Whereas increases in costs related to providing health care for an aging 
        population and the increasing number of people with chronic disease 
        create a crisis for the healthcare system in the United States;
Whereas 23,600,000 individuals in the United States have been diagnosed with 
        diabetes and 57,000,000 have been diagnosed with prediabetes;
Whereas 70,000,000 individuals in the United States have some form of 
        cardiovascular disease, which is responsible for nearly 40 percent of 
        all deaths in this country;
Whereas 64 percent of all individuals in the United States are overweight and 
        more than 30 percent are obese;
Whereas overweight and obese individuals are at increased risk for developing 
        many diseases, including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes;
Whereas individuals in the United States are increasingly using lifestyle 
        changes, including diet, exercise, smoking cessation, and stress 
        reduction, to decrease their risk of developing serious healthcare 
        problems and to restore health;
Whereas low-income families face an increased risk of developing chronic disease 
        and do not have the resources necessary to avoid developing serious 
        health problems related to such chronic disease;
Whereas there is a growing body of evidence that wellness programs that promote 
        lifestyle changes can diminish the incidence and severity of chronic 
        disease, provide a substantial return on investment, and reduce reliance 
        on the conventional medical care system; and
Whereas the Federal Government has a responsibility to reengineer the Nation's 
        healthcare system to allow for the provision of adequate health care for 
        future generations: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress should ensure that any reengineering of the healthcare 
system in the United States--
            (1) incorporates sustainable wellness programs that address 
        the underlying causal factors associated with chronic disease;
            (2) ensures that the public has access to strategies for 
        improving individual health and increasing individual capacity 
        to engage in activities of daily living through lifestyle 
        change, including strategies relating to diet, exercise, 
        smoking cessation, and stress reduction;
            (3) provides patient-centered care--
                    (A) that addresses personal health needs; and
                    (B) that uses a multidimensional approach to 
                encourage patients to improve their own wellness 
                through lifestyle changes and the use of scientifically 
                based therapies and outcomes-based treatments that 
                facilitate the inherent ability of the human body to 
                maintain and restore optimal health; and
            (4) utilizes clearly defined standards to determine when 
        the implementation of wellness and health promotion activities 
        will be useful for each patient based on the diet, exercise 
        habits, individual health history, and family health history of 
        the patient.
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