Newswire/ -- The American Public Health Association (APHA) said today that President Bush's fiscal year 2007 budget puts the health of millions of Americans at risk with proposed cuts to invaluable disease prevention and health promotion activities.
Yet the same budget calls for devastating funding cuts in health programs and, in some cases, eliminates programs entirely, such as the Preventive Health Services Block Grant at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that enables states to implement innovative health-promoting initiatives and creates a response mechanism to address health emergencies, such as West Nile virus and natural disasters.
"While controlling federal spending is critical, it is also imperative that our nation's government do whatever it can to protect the public's health.
Short-sighted and short-term savings will lead to greater health and medical expenditures in the long term.
"It is fiscally and ethically irresponsible to weaken our nation's efforts to protect men, women and children from chronic diseases and illnesses and other emergencies," Benjamin said.
Using its five principles for measuring action on health, APHA found a number of proposals that were cut or under funded, which will hamper efforts to improve health.
APHA expresses concerns with the ability of the budget proposals to make health care more affordable for Americans.
The budget plan encourages the use of health savings accounts (HSAs) yet puts tighter limits on Medicare and Medicaid, which provide a lifeline for millions of Americans who cannot afford vital medical services.
The administration's plan cuts $133 million from Rural Health programs, which curtails medical services to residents in rural communities that traditionally have more limited resources.
APHA recognizes that more than 45 million Americans lack health insurance and rising health costs are keeping vital medical and public health services out of the reach of many.
APHA is concerned with our nation's growing work force shortages in health and public health practitioners, such as nurses, pharmacists and epidemiologists.
APHA calls on Congress to take the health needs of Americans into consideration while shaping the nation's priorities and to support the measures necessary to guarantee that Americans have access to primary and preventive health services that will improve the quality of their lives.
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