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Publication Date:
Publisher: Trust for America's Health
Author(s): Sherry. Kaiman; Chrissie. Juliano; Laura.M. Segal
Research Area: Health
Type: Report
Abstract:
America is facing a health crisis. Even though America spends more than $2 trillion annually on health care—more than any other nation in the world—tens of millions of Americans suffer every day from preventable diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer that rob them of their health and quality of life. In addition, major vulnerabilities remain in our preparedness to respond to health emergencies, including bioterrorism, natural disasters and emerging infectious diseases.
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The current public health system is broken. It is chronically underfunded and outdated. We urgently need to modernize public health to protect and improve the health of Americans. Prevention, preparedness, and public health are vital to the well-being of families, communities, workplace productivity, U.S. competitiveness, and national security. The United States is falling behind as Americans become more unhealthy and unprotected, and health care costs skyrocket.
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Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) undertook a year-long consensus-building process, consulting more than 150 leading health experts and organizations to assemble recommendations for effective ways to modernize the federal public health system to meet the range of health challenges we face. TFAH expresses its gratitude to everyone who was a part of this process. This Blueprint for a Healthier America is a federal policy guide for the next president, administration and congress, with expert recommendations to revitalize the nation’s ability to protect the health of all Americans.