Advertisement
Members of a state and national bipartisan coalition — Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease — held a press conference in La Crosse to talk about their efforts to make chronic disease the major health care issue in the 2008 presidential election.
Tommy Thompson, former Wisconsin governor who co-chairs the state coalition with his wife, Sue Ann, said people must adopt healthier lifestyles, and the health care system must do a better job of managing chronic diseases.
Thompson talked about people quitting tobacco use and making lifestyle changes, such as exercising and eating healthier, to fight diabetes and obesity.
He said the coalition is made up of Democrats, Republicans, business and industry leaders, unions, YMCAs, insurers and others.
“We’re trying to influence the presidential candidates, and we want to have a seat at the table when it comes to health care discussions,” Thompson said.
The coalition is concentrating on seven states that Thompson said will determine the presidential election — Florida, Virginia, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Colorado.
Dr. Robert Nesse, Franciscan Skemp’s CEO and president, said the health care costs due to chronic diseases are enormous. Nesse said the hospitalization of an asthma patient is a failure in the management of a chronic disease.
Dr. Michael Parkinson, president of the American College of Preventive Medicine, said physicians would not need to see 50 percent to 75 percent of their patients if people adopted healthier lifestyles.
“We got to get the prevention message right if we want to make a difference,” Parkinson said.
He said there are six unhealthy truths:
Terry Rindfleisch can be reached at (608) 791-8227 or trindfleisch@lacrosse tribune.com.
