The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“VITALITY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF INCENTIVIZING HEALTHY EATING” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H6265-H6266 on July 17, 2018.
The Department is primarily focused on food nutrition, with assistance programs making up 80 percent of its budget. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department implements too many regulations and restrictions and impedes the economy.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
VITALITY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF INCENTIVIZING HEALTHY EATING
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) for 5 minutes.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, as we look toward ways to help our constituents live healthier lives and address the rising cost of healthcare, I would like to draw attention to successful partnerships that are working to address these challenges.
We know that diet-related diseases are driving up healthcare costs. Research from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University estimates that diabetes costs our healthcare system an astounding $327 billion per year, and cardiovascular-related diseases cost more than $317 billion a year.
Much of this cost, and the human suffering it represents, could be lessened or prevented through greater access to nutritious foods and better eating.
I am proud that stakeholders in my home State of Massachusetts, including nonprofits, advocacy organizations, hospitals, universities, and other private sector partners, are coming together to examine the impact of hunger and diet-related disease on our health system.
One shining example of a collaboration formed to tackle this terrible problem is Vitality. John Hancock, a leading life insurance company based in Boston, has partnered with the Friedman School at Tufts University on an innovative life insurance product that helps to encourage healthier behaviors.
John Hancock clients complete an online health review and engage in activities like preventative care, physical activity, smoking cessation, education, and improved nutrition to earn points that translate into discounts on insurance and other products. What is particularly impressive about the program is the discount it provides to participants who want to increase their purchases of fruits and vegetables. Those who sign up receive a 25 percent discount on healthy food at more than 14,000 grocery stores across the country.
The Vitality program is one example of the positive impact incentives can have on our collective public health when they motivate and reward individuals to take up healthy behaviors. We should learn from this innovative model and look at ways to expand upon its reach to greater segments of the population.
Some Federal programs already allow for incentive-based programs. Within SNAP, our Nation's first line of defense against hunger, we know that incentives work. My home State of Massachusetts has been a leader in the effort to help ensure SNAP recipients have access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
In 2011, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to pilot a first in the Nation initiative to provide incentives for the purchase of healthy foods. The pilot enabled participants to increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables by 26 percent and led to the creation of USDA's Food Insecurity and Nutrition Incentive, known as FINI.
FINI has provided States and localities across the country with Federal resources to expand incentive programs for SNAP beneficiaries. Massachusetts currently uses Federal FINI dollars in conjunction with private donations and State resources to increase the purchase of fruits and vegetables.
It is working. In our State, FINI has helped more than 63,000 SNAP recipients increase their fruit and vegetable intake in 1 year alone. Estimates suggest this increase can mean savings of more than $1.1 million in public health costs. So imagine the impact these sorts of programs and incentives could have if they were replicated and expanded on a larger scale.
New research from Tufts' Friedman School shows that incorporating technology-based incentives for healthier eating into other Federal programs like Medicare and Medicaid would be highly cost-effective, saving millions of lives and billions of dollars in healthcare costs.
We should also look at how we can reach beyond Federal health and nutrition programs to encourage private worksite wellness programs.
The fact of the matter is that all of us can and should be taking steps to make healthier choices. Congress should take lessons learned from successful partnerships like the Tufts and John Hancock collaboration to pilot and expand incentive programs. In doing so, we can provide greater access to nutritious foods, promote healthier choices, alleviate human suffering, and save our healthcare system billions and billions of dollars.
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