During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. highlighted the need to shift the focus from debating who should pay health care bills to addressing the root cause of high health care costs: chronic disease.
Kennedy expressed concern that simply shifting the burden of health care costs between government, industry, and corporations without addressing the underlying issue is akin to rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. He emphasized the urgency of asking why health care costs in the US are soaring and pointed to chronic diseases as the primary culprit.
Citing data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kennedy noted that approximately 90% of the nation's annual health care expenditures are linked to chronic diseases. This statistic encompasses spending on a wide range of conditions, including mental health issues.
Chronic diseases, such as autoimmune diseases, Alzheimer's disease, asthma, ADHD, depression, and addiction, are on the rise in the US, contributing significantly to the escalating health care costs that are approaching one-fifth of the country's economy.
As part of his 'Make America Healthy Again' platform, Kennedy has long advocated for addressing chronic diseases as a key strategy to reduce health care costs and improve overall public health. He stressed the importance of tackling the prevalence of chronic diseases to alleviate the financial burden on the health care system and promote a healthier population.
In light of the increasing rates of chronic diseases and their impact on health care spending, Kennedy urged a shift towards proactive measures to prevent and manage these conditions effectively. By prioritizing efforts to combat chronic diseases, he believes that the US can not only reduce health care costs but also enhance the well-being of its citizens.
