The common refrain is that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
However, numerous studies have concluded that prevention doesn’t really save health care dollars. That’s because preventive medicine allows people to live longer, which will make them consume more health resources as they age. That may be a noble goal, but at least let’s be honest about it.
New York Governor David A. Paterson doesn’t seem to be getting the message, as he states, “Preventing illness is a good investment.”
Especially regarding his 18 percent tax on sugary soft drinks, there’s little evidence to show that it will work. This is because the value is difficult to measure: “People who are deterred from buying soda might substitute other sugary drinks. Students deprived of junk food might still nibble some of the candy they sell for school fund-raisers.”
Most health reform initiatives depend on “cost-cutting” from preventive medicine to pay for the plans. But advocate for preventive care because of desire for better health, not for cost savings. Doing so otherwise will only lead to fiscal disappointment.
Related posts:
- Does preventive medicine save money or cost more in the long run?
- CBO: Prevention does not save money
- Prevention doesn’t save money
- Stop relying on "prevention" to save money
- Prevention to save money?
- Will comparative effectiveness research really save money?
- Does preventive medicine really save money?
{ 3 comments }
Amazing analysis. Who determines the second inflection point? Will the feds tell us when to croak, or will they be more proactive?
Chuck Brooks
FutureWare SCG
Probably. It’s all politics really. They want to look like they are doing “something”.
I don’t think tax on sugary drinks will do anything as to obesity, but at least it’s not a tax that I will pay as I don’t like these drinks. So for me – it’s better if they tax some useless stuff than my income or even that of my employer (one needs to remember who signs one’s paycheck).
The problem I see is that preventative medicine is still costly and doesn’t really prevent anything. In order to reform health care we first need to reform the patients (and the doctors) and get them to stop seeing medicine as being able to prevent disease. Medicine is a reaction to a disease, it is up to patients to prevent the disease in the first place.
Comments on this entry are closed.