September 29, 2015 Advocacy Alert

Protect the Prevention and Public Health Fund
Call Your Representatives Today!

Quick action is needed to prevent the gutting of a valuable source of funding for prevention and wellness programming for older adults!

According to documents released yesterday, the House of Representatives is poised, today and tomorrow, to consider a legislative proposal that would eliminate the Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF). The House Energy and Commerce Committee proposed the complete repeal of PPHF as part of a package of budget reconciliation instructions they are expected to vote on this week. “Budget reconciliation” is a special budgetary procedure that can be used to make controversial policy changes, because it is not subject to the threat of filibuster in the Senate.

Reconciliation bills are used primarily to advance legislative policy through budgetary and spending changes. The proposal that would eliminate the PPHF is set for consideration in the Energy and Commerce Committee beginning this afternoon and into tomorrow morning.

n4a strongly opposes eliminating a critical source of funding for prevention and wellness programs for aging adults, and urges you to call your Member of Congress—especially if he or she serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee—and encourage Congress to reject this proposal that would harm seniors. n4a also sent a letter to Committee leadership opposing this bill.

Take Action!

Call or email your Representatives today and urge them to oppose eliminating the Prevention and Public Health Fund.

• STEP 1: Call (U.S. Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121) or email: www.house.gov to find your Members’ website comment forms.
• STEP 2: Ask other advocates to do the same! Urge colleagues, advisory board members, volunteers and clients to make calls and write emails to their legislators, as well.
• STEP 3: Join n4a on Thursday, October 1 at 3:00 p.m. webinar to get the latest update and analysis about the status of federal funding and an outlook to the fall for congressional actions and priorities.

Background on PPHF

The Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF), created as part of the Affordable Care Act, is a critical investment in promoting wellness and preventing the diseases that are a main driver of health care costs. Supporting evidence-based prevention and wellness programs for older adults is imperative, given the nation’s aging population and growing rates of chronic disease. More than 80 percent of Americans age 65 and older have at least one chronic condition, and half have at least two. Costs, both in terms of health care dollars and disability rates, are staggering. Among older adults, chronic conditions account for nearly 95 percent of health care expenditures and limit the activities of millions of people, decreasing their productivity and ability to live independently.

That’s why, as outlined in our 2015 Policy Priorities, n4a urges lawmakers and administrators to build upon proven, cost-effective evidence-based health promotion and disease prevention programs for older adults at the community level, including chronic disease self-management and falls prevention programs provided by the Aging Network under the Administration for Community Living’s (ACL) leadership. These programs deliver proven results and reduce Medicare and Medicaid costs.

In FY 2015, $8 million of the PPHF went to ACL to support the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, and $5 million supported falls prevention activities.

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If you have questions or concerns about this Advocacy Alert or n4a’s policy positions, please contact Autumn Campbell at acampbell@n4a.org and Amy Gotwals at agotwals@n4a.org.

Read this n4a Advocacy Alert in a PDF.