[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 186 (Thursday, December 6, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2515]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               THE ECONOMIC COSTS OF AN UNHEALTHY AMERICA

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                             HON. DAN BOREN

                              of oklahoma

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 6, 2007

  Mr. BOREN. Madam Speaker, recently, the Milken Institute released 
what I believe to be a landmark study on the cost to the United States 
from the startling growth of chronic disease in this nation. Its 
findings are eye-opening:
  More than half of all Americans suffer from one of more of the 
following diseases--cancer, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart 
disease, pulmonary conditions or mental disorders.
  Over the past 20 years we have spent trillions of dollars in research 
and treatment on these diseases, improving both treatment and mortality 
outcomes but the rates of chronic disease continue to climb.
  If no changes are instituted, within 16 years, 2023, there will be a 
42 percent increase in the number of cases.
  The cost to the American economy will be $4.2 trillion in treatment 
costs and lost productivity, with lost productivity accounting for 81 
percent of all costs.
  Improving Americans' health behaviors through anti-obesity and anti-
smoking efforts can save the U.S. $1.6 trillion in treatment and lost 
productivity, decrease the number of cases by 40 million and improve 
gross domestic product by $254 billion.
  Let me put these numbers into some kind of perspective. The $4.2 
trillion cost to the economy if nothing changes is greater than the 
current gross domestic product of France, the United Kingdom and Spain 
combined. That amount is greater than the current GDPs of either Africa 
or Latin America and not much lower than the GDPs of the two continents 
combined.
  The recommendations of the Milken Institute, which describes itself 
as an independent economic think tank, center on ensuring that 
incentives in the health care system focus on prevention and early 
disease intervention and that we commit as a nation to achieving a 
``healthy body weight.''
  Madam Speaker, all of us bear some responsibility in combating these 
diseases--individuals, non-governmental organizations, governments, 
corporations, the medical community and the insurance industry. But we 
here in Congress also bear a special responsibility to remove any 
federal disincentives to promoting good physical well-being. We set 
policy; we set the tone for the Nation on any issue. Pending before 
this body are two pieces of legislation to promote physical fitness, a 
key component of prevention and a central means of achieving a healthy 
body weight, the Workforce Health Improvement Program Act (H.R. 1748). 
If enacted, this legislation would remove federal barriers to the 
promotion of physical activity and move our health care system ever 
more to one that emphasizes prevention over disease treatment.
  As the Milken Institute's study so strongly shows, there are great 
costs ahead if we do nothing, but great savings to be gained if we act. 
Passage of this legislation would help us achieve a healthier America. 
I urge enactment this legislation.

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