HHS announces $750 million for prevention

The federal government is gearing up to help you prevent some of the most common causes of chronic diseases in your patients. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) plans to spend $750 million to increase immunizations, reduce tobacco use and obesity, and cut the incidence of heart disease and cancer, among other preventive measures.

The Prevention and Public Health Fund, part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, is aimed at preventing disease, detecting it early, managing conditions before they become severe, and promoting healthy living.

“Prevention is something that can’t happen just at a doctor’s office,” HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a press release. “If we are to address the big health issues of our time, from physical inactivity to poor nutrition to tobacco use, it needs to happen in local communities.”

Spending in the 2011 fiscal year will focus on four areas:
1. Community Prevention ($298 million): Promoting health and wellness, including reducing tobacco use, improving nutrition, increasing physical activity, and preventing chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
2. Clinical Prevention ($182 million): Improving access to preventive care, increasing availability and use of immunizations, and placing behavioral health services into primary care settings.
3. Public Health Infrastructure ($137 million): Investing in health information technologies and training public health workers to better detect and prevent infectious disease outbreaks and other health threats.
4. Research and Tracking ($133 million): Collecting data on the impact of the Affordable Care Act and disseminating evidence-based recommendations on public health issues.