HLC Hosts Capitol Hill Briefing on Value of Health Screenings

With presentations from experts representing Novo Nordisk and NorthShore University HealthSystem of Evanston, IL, the Healthcare Leadership Council informed congressional staffers about the “Value of Health Screenings” at a briefing on June 6.

HLC President Mary R. Grealy told attendees that the proven efficacy of screening programs — reducing healthcare costs by enabling early detection and prevention of disease as well as more effective treatments — raises important public policy issues about Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement of health screenings and the way in which the Congressional Budget Office evaluates the costs and benefits of such programs. 

Dr. Kenneth Anderson, formerly Chief Medical Quality Officer at NorthShore University HealthSystem and currently Chief Operating Officer for the Health Research and Educational Trust, informed the Capitol Hill audience on the effectiveness and importance of screening for hypertension, pointing out that almost 30 percent of hypertensive patients are unaware of their condition.  Hypertension is a leading risk factor for congestive heart failure, stroke, and chronic kidney disease.

Karin Gillespie, Associate Director of Changing Diabetes Policy for Novo Nordisk, explained how narrow screening guidelines approved by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force leaves millions of Americans with diabetes and prediabetes having their conditions undetected.  As she pointed out, 26 million people in this country have diabetes and seven million are undiagnosed.