Fact Sheet: Investing in Prevention: The New National Prevention, Health Promotion and Public Health Council

June 30, 2010

Chronic diseases – such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes – are responsible for 7 of 10 deaths among Americans each year and account for 75% of the nation’s health spending. Often due to economic, social, and physical factors, too many Americans engage in behaviors – such as tobacco use, poor diet, physical inactivity, and alcohol abuse – that lead to poor health. 

A focus on prevention will offer our nation the opportunity to not only improve the health of Americans but also help reduce health care costs and improve quality of care.  By concentrating on the underlying drivers of chronic disease, the Affordable Care Act helps us move from today’s sick-care system to a true “health care” system that encourages health and well-being.

A New Commitment to Prevention

The Affordable Care Act signed into law by President Obama creates a National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health Council. The Council, composed of senior government officials, will elevate and coordinate prevention activities and design a focused National Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy in conjunction with communities across the country to promote the nation’s health. The Strategy will take a community health approach to prevention and well-being – identifying and prioritizing actions across government and between sectors.

The National Prevention Council

On June 10, the President signed an Executive Order  creating the National Prevention Council.

Established within the Department of Health and Human Services, the Council is chaired by the U.S. Surgeon General and composed of the following Members:

• the Secretary of Agriculture;
• the Secretary of Labor;
• the Secretary of Health and Human Services
• the Secretary of Transportation;
• the Secretary of Education;
• the Secretary of Homeland Security;
• the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency;
• the Chair of the Federal Trade Commission;
• the Director of National Drug Control Policy;
• the Assistant to the President and Director of the Domestic Policy Council;
• the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs;
• the Chairman of the Corporation for National and Community Service; and
• the head of any other executive department or agency that the Chair may determine is appropriate.

The Council will:

• Provide coordination and leadership to ensure the government is focused on improving prevention, wellness, and health promotion practices.
• With continual public input, make recommendations to the President and the Congress concerning the most pressing health issues confronting the nation and changes in federal policy to achieve national health promotion, and public health goals, including the reduction of tobacco use, sedentary behavior, and poor nutrition.

On June 25, the Council held an introductory teleconference to ratify its first status report. The report is due July 1 and available at here in PDF format.

This report provides an overview of the Strategy development process, proposed guiding principles, plans to convene the Advisory Group, a work plan and timeline, and a list of Council activities to date.

The Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health

As required by the Act, the President will establish an Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health to help develop the new Strategy. The Advisory Group will reside within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and report to the Surgeon General. It will have up to 25 non-federal members appointed by the President who will develop policy and program recommendations and advise the Council on lifestyle-based chronic disease prevention and management, integrative health care practices, and health promotion.

Developing the New National Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy

After obtaining ideas from relevant stakeholders and working closely with the Advisory Group, the Council will devise a National Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy that will:

• Set specific goals, measurable actions and timelines to carry out the strategy to reduce the incidence of preventable illness and disability in the U.S. and promote health and well-being, and;
• Make recommendations to improve federal efforts relating to prevention, health promotion, public health, and integrative health-care practices to ensure that federal efforts are consistent with available standards and evidence.

Other Prevention Priorities in the Affordable Care Act

The new National Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy complements key prevention provisions in the Affordable Care Act which provide a sustained national investment in prevention and public health programs.

The Affordable Care Act Makes an Unprecedented Investment in Public Health and Prevention through the Creation of the Prevention and Public Health Investment Fund (the “Fund”).

This new initiative has new resources – $15 billion over ten years in mandatory spending – to expand and sustain the necessary infrastructure to prevent disease, detect it early, and manage conditions before they become severe.

The Fund reinforces a renewed focus on prevention and public health to improve well-being and improve quality of care.

For FY2010, $500 million is dedicated to improving community and clinical prevention efforts, strengthening public health infrastructure, improving research and data collection and bolstering the training of public health and primary care professionals.

The Affordable Care Act Promotes Prevention and Wellness for All Americans

The new law ensures all Americans receive critical clinical and community preventive services and makes public health and prevention a permanent part of the health care system by:

• Eliminating cost sharing on recommended preventive services delivered by Medicare and all new insurance plans;
• Providing coverage under Medicare—with no co-payment or deductible—for an annual wellness visit that includes a comprehensive health risk assessment and 5-10 year personalized prevention plan;
• Providing enhanced federal Medicaid matching funds to states who offer evidence-based prevention services and requiring coverage of tobacco cessation services for pregnant women in Medicaid; and,
• Delivering community preventive services by investing in state, territorial, and local public health infrastructure and by providing grants to implement recommended services.