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Administration Announces Second Round of Affordable Care Act Funding for Critical Prevention Programs
February 9, 2011
WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 9, 2011 – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today announced the allotment of $750 million for fiscal year 2011 for prevention programs that are critical to the fight against cancer. This is the second year funds have been allocated from the Prevention and Public Health Fund, which was created by the Affordable Care Act. Following is a statement from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN):
“The funding announced today includes critical investments in clinical and community-based prevention strategies that will help to improve public health and wellness and advance our progress in preventing cancer. ACS CAN is pleased that $298 million will be invested to expand community efforts to lower tobacco use and obesity rates, increase levels of physical activity and improve nutrition. This investment will build on the $126 million allotted for these purposes from the Prevention and Public Health Fund last year.
“The remainder of the funding announced today will focus on improvements in the public health infrastructure, research and tracking, and training of the public health workforce – all critical components in building a healthier and more productive population.
“As the leading voice of patients, ACS CAN strongly supported the emphasis on prevention and public health in provisions of the Affordable Care Act. The law’s $15-billion investment over 10 years will help shift the focus to emphasize disease prevention and management as well as improved wellness and quality of life.”
Last month, John R. Seffrin, Ph.D., chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society and ACS CAN, was nominated to the advisory group to the newly created National Prevention, Health Promotion and Public Health Council. The new Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health is empowered by the Affordable Care Act to advise the council on chronic disease prevention, health promotion and the creation of a first-ever national prevention strategy.
ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Steven Weiss or Alissa Havens
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
202-661-5711 or 202-661-5772
[email protected] or [email protected]
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