New Analysis by HELP, E&C Details State-by-State Public Health Impacts if ACA’s Prevention Fund is Eliminated Under Trumpcare
Fund invests billions in critical public health programs: immunizations, outbreak preparedness, opioid epidemic response, and more
(Washington, D.C.) – Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) and Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) released a new state-by-state analysis today on what is at risk if the Prevention and Public Health Fund is eliminated under the Senate Republican Trumpcare bill.
Both House and Senate versions of Trumpcare eliminate the Prevention Fund, but the Senate bill would do so immediately, cutting $5.3 billion in essential public health funding over the next five years – $3 billion of which would have gone directly to states.
“The ACA’s Prevention Fund makes critical, life-saving investments for prevention and public health efforts in every state in the nation,” said Murray and Pallone. “Trumpcare would eliminate these funds, crippling chronic disease prevention efforts and leaving millions of Americans vulnerable to pandemics, food-borne outbreaks, and other health-related emergencies.”
The state-by-state fact sheets detail what each state stands to lose if the Prevention Fund is eliminated, the amount each state has received from the Prevention Fund since 2010, and some of the state programs that were funded during Fiscal Year (FY) 2016. The following are some of the key services and programs the Prevention Fund supports:
- The Prevention Fund offers money to states and territories to address their most pressing local issues – $160 million each year is provided to states through the Preventive Health and Health Services (PHHS) Block Grant to monitor and prevent healthcare associated infections and infectious disease outbreaks, train emergency medical service providers, collect vital statistics, provide fluoride for local water systems, and much more.
- The Prevention Fund assists states in their responses to the opioid epidemic. A number of states use funds from the PHHS Block Grant to support prescription drug monitoring programs, establish drug disposal guidelines, implement prevention and education efforts, and hire and train staff.
- The Prevention Fund enhances preparedness for public health emergencies. The Fund provides support for states to strengthen their ability to detect and respond to recent outbreaks, including Zika virus, influenza, foodborne illness, and the 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak. Repealing the Fund through Trumpcare threatens to eliminate all of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s antibiotic resistance work.
- The Prevention Fund provides critical access to immunizations. The Fund supports immunization through Section 317 grants, helping ensure access to vaccines that helped prevent 322 million illnesses, 21 million hospitalizations, and 732,000 deaths from 1994-2013.
- The Prevention Fund provides investments to prevent chronic disease. The Fund invests in key efforts targeted at preventing chronic disease, including reducing tobacco use, increasing physical activity, and improving access to good nutrition. In FY17 the Fund supported $72 million for diabetes prevention efforts.
A copy of the state-by-state fact sheets is available HERE.
A copy of the Dear Colleague letter Senator Murray sent to all Senate Democrats is available HERE.
###
