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Good News -- New U.S. Health Secretary is a Huge Fan of Wellness!

  • January 29, 2009
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Former Senator Tom Daschle was confirmed by the senate last week on President Obama’s inauguration day as the new secretary of Health and Human Services in the U.S. He really does understand many of the problems, as you will see by this video. I believe this is a phenomenal choice and that there is a good chance we will make significant impacts in health and wellness with his leadership.
 
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
There are three major reasons why this short clip of former Senator Tom Daschle left me hopeful:

1. He acknowledged the notion that the United States has the best health care system in the world is a MYTH

2. He pointed out that the high rate of people dying from medical errors every year (100,000, or the equivalent of a 747 crashing every day and a half) is unacceptable

3. He agreed that focusing on wellness should be the starting point in health care, not the afterthought it is now

These are key foundational beliefs that will be needed in order to revamp the current health care system, and it is a step in the right direction that the new Secretary of the Health and Human Services is already on board with them.

If you’re wondering what, exactly, the Secretary does, he will head up agencies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), along with the newly created White House Office of Health Reform.

He will also be in control of a budget worth more than $700 billion.

Americans Are Ready for Major Health Care Reform

The change in leadership at the Department of Health and Human Services could not have come at a better time, as Americans are ready for change.

In fact, 82 percent of Americans think the U.S. health care system should be fundamentally changed or completely rebuilt, according to a survey of more than 1,000 adults conducted in 2008, and I couldn’t agree more.

In short, Americans are tired of spending so much money for health care, and not getting their money’s worth.

The United States spent $2.5 trillion on health care in 2008, but by 2017, health care spending is projected to exceed $4 TRILLION. This is largely due to the costs of drugs and surgery and a reliance on a medical system that treats only symptoms and never the cause of disease.

Now, I would not mind one bit if spending $2.5 trillion provided major benefits, but sadly, as you likely know, this is clearly not the case.

The United States spends more than twice as much on each person for health care as most other industrialized countries. But it comes in LAST among those countries in preventing deaths that could have been avoided with the use of timely and effective medical care.

Meanwhile, the United States ranks only 42nd in global life expectancy and 34th in survival of infants. These are the rankings earned by having the most expensive medical care in the world?

Something doesn’t add up, and that “something” is that the drug companies and food industries are THE primary forces behind most of the terrible health statistics of the United States.

These industries and the drug industry in particular, have been able to manipulate and control the U.S. Congress to pass just about any and every law they need to increase their profits. Once you understand how they control the government, you realize how they are directing health care policy for their own good -- NOT for your benefit.

Very few people understand that the drug companies and other big industries essentially control the U.S. Congress with their massive lobbying forces. Again, their relatively minor investments allow them to manipulate votes on key legislation that is highly favorable to their bottom line and almost always in conflict with your best interests.

It’s Time for a New Beginning

With the new leadership coming into office, I’m hopeful that health care will one day return to the basics and promote wellness instead of disease treatment.

Can you imagine how many diseases and deaths could be prevented if we focused on promoting healthy lifestyles and reduced consumption of toxic drugs and unnecessary medical procedures?

Fortunately you don’t have to wait for the government to solve the problem as you can Take Control of Your Health right now, today, break free from the drug-industry’s hold on you and in so doing begin to change the direction of health care -- one person at a time.

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