[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 120 (Tuesday, July 17, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H6265-H6266]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      VITALITY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF INCENTIVIZING HEALTHY EATING

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, as we look toward ways to help our 
constituents live healthier lives and address the rising cost of 
healthcare, I would like to draw attention to successful partnerships 
that are working to address these challenges.
  We know that diet-related diseases are driving up healthcare costs. 
Research from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at 
Tufts University estimates that diabetes costs our healthcare system an 
astounding $327 billion per year, and cardiovascular-related diseases 
cost more than $317 billion a year.
  Much of this cost, and the human suffering it represents, could be 
lessened or prevented through greater access to nutritious foods and 
better eating.
  I am proud that stakeholders in my home State of Massachusetts, 
including nonprofits, advocacy organizations, hospitals, universities, 
and other private sector partners, are coming together to examine the 
impact of hunger and diet-related disease on our health system.
  One shining example of a collaboration formed to tackle this terrible 
problem is Vitality. John Hancock, a leading life insurance company 
based in Boston, has partnered with the Friedman School at Tufts 
University on an innovative life insurance product that helps to 
encourage healthier behaviors.
  John Hancock clients complete an online health review and engage in 
activities like preventative care, physical activity, smoking 
cessation, education, and improved nutrition to earn points that 
translate into discounts on insurance and other products. What is 
particularly impressive about the program is the discount it provides 
to participants who want to increase their purchases of fruits and 
vegetables. Those who sign up receive a 25 percent discount on healthy 
food at more than 14,000 grocery stores across the country.
  The Vitality program is one example of the positive impact incentives 
can have on our collective public health when they motivate and reward 
individuals to take up healthy behaviors. We should learn from this 
innovative model and look at ways to expand upon its reach to greater 
segments of the population.
  Some Federal programs already allow for incentive-based programs. 
Within SNAP, our Nation's first line of defense against hunger, we know 
that incentives work. My home State of Massachusetts has been a leader 
in the effort to help ensure SNAP recipients have access to fresh 
fruits and vegetables.
  In 2011, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts worked with the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture to pilot a first in the Nation initiative to 
provide incentives for the purchase of healthy foods. The pilot enabled 
participants to increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables by 
26 percent and led to the creation of USDA's Food Insecurity and 
Nutrition Incentive, known as FINI.
  FINI has provided States and localities across the country with 
Federal resources to expand incentive programs for SNAP beneficiaries. 
Massachusetts currently uses Federal FINI dollars in conjunction with 
private donations and State resources to increase the purchase of 
fruits and vegetables.
  It is working. In our State, FINI has helped more than 63,000 SNAP 
recipients increase their fruit and vegetable intake in 1 year alone. 
Estimates suggest this increase can mean savings of more than $1.1 
million in public health costs. So imagine the impact these sorts of 
programs and incentives could have if they were replicated and expanded 
on a larger scale.
  New research from Tufts' Friedman School shows that incorporating 
technology-based incentives for healthier eating into other Federal 
programs like Medicare and Medicaid would be highly cost-effective, 
saving millions of lives and billions of dollars in healthcare costs.
  We should also look at how we can reach beyond Federal health and 
nutrition programs to encourage private worksite wellness programs.

[[Page H6266]]

  The fact of the matter is that all of us can and should be taking 
steps to make healthier choices. Congress should take lessons learned 
from successful partnerships like the Tufts and John Hancock 
collaboration to pilot and expand incentive programs. In doing so, we 
can provide greater access to nutritious foods, promote healthier 
choices, alleviate human suffering, and save our healthcare system 
billions and billions of dollars.

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