Health Subcommittee Chairman Vern Buchanan addressed the issue of chronic diseases in the United States during a hearing focused on modernizing coordinated care. Buchanan emphasized the need for medical providers to collaborate more closely in treating and managing patients.
In his statement, Buchanan said, “Good afternoon and thank you to the witnesses for being here today to discuss an important issue that I’m excited about: reducing and preventing chronic diseases."
He continued, “To combat the chronic disease epidemic, I strongly believe we need to empower providers to work together to treat and manage patients."
Buchanan pointed out that the United States has a higher proportion of people with chronic diseases compared to other countries. He noted that Americans experience obesity and diabetes at more than twice the rate seen elsewhere. According to Buchanan, “chronic diseases make up 8 of the 10 top causes of death in the U.S.”
The impact is widespread across age groups. Buchanan highlighted that about 20 percent of children in the U.S. are obese, while 30 percent of young adults are disqualified from military service due to obesity. Among adults, he stated that 40 percent are obese.
Buchanan also addressed health care spending, stating, “We spend $4.5 trillion annually on health care costs, and 90 percent comes from chronic diseases alone. We must do better for patients and taxpayers."
He concluded by noting shortcomings in current approaches: “Too often, our health care system responds to health problems only after they arise instead of preventing them in the first place.”
