Will Emphasis On Prevention Bring Health Costs Down?

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Kaiser Health News reports that "If there is one thing that both parties can agree on in the health overhaul debate, it's the need to build a health system that promotes prevention rather than just manages disease." Proposals currently being debated in Congress would require "Medicare and private health insurers to fully cover preventive services such as checkups and screening tests for cancer without any patient co-payments or deductibles." President Obama maintains that "prevention measures can save lives and limit health spending," and such a provision is "one of the eight consumer protections he wants in any health overhaul legislation." But the health insurance industry is balking, saying "such a provision would lead to higher premiums and hamper insurers' flexibility to design plans" (Galewitz, 8/4).

This information was reprinted from kaiserhealthnews.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at kaiserhealthnews.org.

© Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

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