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

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.