Steve Kagen: “Well, when an attorney asks me a question, I have to give a short answer, yes. You're right. In more detail, and quite…”

“Well, when an attorney asks me a question, I have to give a short answer, yes. You're right. In more detail, and quite seriously, every study that's ever been performed has proven that preventive health care, that disease management, saves money and saves lives. In diabetes it saves limbs. If you have a diabetic that is more under control, with their glucose maintained within a normal range, you gain longer life, less kidney failure, less heart disease, and your limbs, the circulation in your limbs, your lower extremities, in particular, are maintained. Diabetes is one example. In asthma it's yet another. Several years ago, 5,000-some children and adults would die from asthma attacks in this country, and with a disease management program, we've reduced the hospitalization rate of children with asthma. Asthma is the number one cause of hospitalization for children. Asthma is a very common illness today. It's in epidemic proportion in our major cities. Where, in our major cities? Well, there's lower poverty rates in our lower cities. And it is our Nation's children who are in low-income stratas that are developing allergy and asthma much more frequently. They need preventive health care. It saves money and it saves lives. And to think of it a little differently, we can lower the taxes of every town, of every city, of every State in this country by having children that are healthy. By investing in the health of our children, we can lower people's taxes.”