Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease and Partnership for Better Health party neutral unified resolution

2008 IOWA CAUCUS RESOLUTION

In Iowa today:

• Two of every five Iowans has a chronic disease.

• Nationally 45 out of every 100 are living with a chronic disease.

• One in three babies born in Iowa will develop diabetes in their lifetime.

• Chronic disease is the #1 driver of rising health care costs, as well as the #1 cause of death in America.

Therefore be it resolved that as a party, we support public policy that:

• Refocuses our health care system on keeping people healthier through disease prevention, care management, and targeted incentives to encourage self management and prevention.

• Promotes healthy lifestyles and disease prevention and management in every community-including places of employment and schools

• Improves the quality of care for those with chronic diseases by encouraging innovation in the treatment of diseases at the research and bedside levels, as well as encourage continued American investment in pioneering science that will result in better treatments to prevent and lessen the toll of chronic disease.

• Accelerates improvements in the quality and availability of health information technology throughout the health system.

• Reduces access barriers to health care for all populations.

By pursuing the issue of chronic disease and making it a centerpiece of the American health care system, we will be able to fundamentally change the way health care is viewed. The results will yield more competitive industries, savings at every level of the health care system, and Iowans able to focus on living longer and healthier lives.

Therefore we urge every presidential candidate, senator, congressman, state senator, state representative, mayor, city councilman, school board member, and citizen to make the prevention and treatment of chronic disease a major issue in this year’s election.