Outrage

Yesterday’s headlines probably signal the end of the “public option” in the health care plan, a measure championed by liberals and charred by conservatives. The “public option” issue, with its ability to extract vile insults from its protagonists and opposers, is tailor-made for media stories. The legislation, of course, is dreary, but the passion it induces is wonderful theater.

The theater, however, has crowded out several issues deserving of greater public awareness.

Of particular note, (this is a blog about physical activity, after all) is the lack of any provision in the health care proposals that would incentivize Americans to live healthier lifestyles. No WHIP. No PHIT.

Perhaps a few facts will help muster up enough public outrage to warrant a grainy YouTube video from a townhall meeting...

- Individuals who live unhealthy lifestyles are more likely to develop a chronic disease
- Chronic disease accounts for 75% of health care costs
- Active adults spend less money on health care

Are you outraged? Join the Campaign for a Healthier America and help lead the charge for health reform based on healthy living. Also, make sure the batteries in your video camera are charged.

- Tom Richards

Health Care Reform, Prevention, Cost-Savings

President Barack Obama will address the nation tonight in a prime time news conference on health care reform. This is the latest event in what has been a full court press by the White House in recent days to try to build awareness and momentum around the debate. At a White House Rose Garden event on Tuesday, Obama said, “We've agreed that our health reform bill will emphasize prevention and wellness by investing in programs that help Americans live healthier lives. We will save money, prevent illness, and increase the competitiveness of our country. “

IHRSA and its partners continue to encourage legislators to use prevention to contain skyrocketing costs. In a statement released Monday, the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) urged Congress to focus on the number one driver of health care costs- chronic disease. "We must focus on disease prevention and wellness in order to reduce unnecessary - and often preventable - costs and create a sustainable health care system," said Ken Thorpe, Ph.D., PFCD Executive Director. "We hope that as other Senate and House committees continue through mark ups, they will make certain that their bills contain adequate measures to address the economic burden of chronic disease and control costs in order to insure the passage of comprehensive, sustainable health care reform legislation in 2009."

While members of Congress and the Obama administration discuss health care reform, the President continues to call on Congress to move bills out of committee and to vote before the scheduled August recess. Though some in Washington are beginning to call the deadline impossible, committees are working very quickly to mark up the bills as soon as possible making this a crucial time for IHRSA’s Personal Health Investment Today Act and Workplace Health Improvement Program Act.

“Our DC team has been actively engaging with key legislators in both the House and the Senate on including the WHIP and PHIT Acts in health care reform,” said Helen Durkin, executive vice president IHRSA public policy. “But we do not have a million dollars a day to spend like the insurance and pharmaceutical lobbies. Our strength is the number of fitness professionals across America that are passionate about creating a culture of wellness in our nation.”

Fitness professionals can do their part by writing an email to Congress asking for their support of exercise as part of prevention in health care reform. All of the details are provided online at http://ihrsa.org/campaign. Clubs will be speaking out for legislation that not only encourages Americans to lead healthy lives but also provides them tax incentives to do so while promoting health clubs and growing the number of Americans with gym memberships.

- Breanne McGahey

Teen Fitness Connection - Empower a Teen This Summer

As the nation waits this summer for long-anticipated health care reform and for prevention to play a critical role, you may be asking what more you can do to have your voice heard and how to play a part in keeping Americans healthy this summer. You should, of course, write or call your Congressional representative and ask for their support of Workforce Health Improvement Program (WHIP) Act and the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act. If you submitted a video for IHRSA’s Campaign for a Healthier America, we thank you and encourge you to invite your staff to do the same. If you are looking for a program to make a difference in a young person’s life this summer, I would ask you to consider running the Teen Fitness Connection (TFC) in your club.

The TFC is a nationwide initiative designed to introduce exercise to teens by offering free summer matinee memberships. Now in its second year as an IHRSA program, it is designed as a community outreach initiative that invites club owners and operators to fight teen obesity and physical inactivity on a local level. Geoff Dyer, Founder of Lifestyle Family Fitness health clubs and the TFC, began the program three years ago with the intent to provide an outlet for teenagers to raise their self-esteem, get in control of their physical health, and to fight teenage obesity.

Adopting a healthy lifestyle begins at an early age, and needs to be reinforced in order to become habit. The TFC gives teens a fun activity to engage in during the summer months and to explore the offerings and support health clubs give. Clubs can modify and adjust the program as they see fit.

The program takes place at IHRSA clubs across the country from July 1 - August 31, 2009. Please visit http://www.ihrsa.org/teenfitnessconnection for more information and enrollment.
I urge you to consider implementing this program in your club and join in empowering teens with fitness this summer!

- Rosemary Lavery

The Personal Health Investment Today Act (H.R. 2105)

The following is detailed information on the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act (H.R. 2105). This bill is currently before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways & Means. If you would like to support this bill, join the virtual march on Washington by visiting http://campaign4health.org.

The PHIT Act (H.R. 2105) would eliminate a federal policy barrier and create a financial incentive for Americans to engage in physical fitness and exercise.

Americans could utilize up to $1,000 annually from their tax-favored accounts (such as FSAs and MSAs) to make expenditures related to organized individual and team sports, fitness and exercise, recreation and other physical activities. The PHIT Act would not increase the total contribution limits to those pre-tax accounts.

• 64% of American adults and 34% of American children suffer from overweight, obesity, and physical inactivity. These rising rates of obesity and Americans’ proclivity for inactivity are resulting in double digit annual increases in healthcare costs to the government and business.

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that healthcare costs directly associated with inactivity were $76.6 billion in 2000; roughly one-third of those costs ($25 billion) fall directly on U.S. taxpayers since approximately one in three Americans is covered by a taxpayer-funded health plan.

• The PHIT Act would help to reverse the trend of increasing physical inactivity and obesity by eliminating a federal policy barrier and providing an important tax incentive to promote exercise.

• Public health experts agree that regular physical activity substantially reduces the risk and symptoms of numerous chronic diseases and medical conditions, resulting in fewer hospitalizations, physician visits, medications and lower health care costs.

• The PHIT Act would change the types of expenditures that could be payable out of tax-favored investment accounts: flexible spending accounts (FSAs), medical savings accounts (MSAs) and/or medical reimbursement arrangements.

• Under the current set-up, Americans predominantly use pre-tax accounts to pay for treatment and detection of illnesses: prescription drugs, doctor visits, examinations and screenings.

• The PHIT Act would allow consumers to to pay with pre-tax dollars for prevention in the form of increased physical activity, including:

• fitness center dues
• group exercise classes
• youth sports league fees
• some exercise equipment
• other fees associated with physical activity programs

• Depending upon their income tax bracket, the PHIT Act could help Americans save 20-30% on the cost of physical activities, exercise programs and related expenses.

• The PHIT Act tax incentive represents an important tangible benefit that the federal government can provide to promote healthier lifestyles and reverse the rising costs of treating obesity-related chronic diseases.

• Fitness-related tax savings would provide a great incentive for Americans to take an important first step toward reversing their sedentary lifestyles and lowering healthcare costs.

Why is the PHIT Act necessary?
The PHIT Act would eliminate a federal policy barrier and create a financial incentive to engage in physical fitness and exercise.

What will the PHIT Act do?
The PHIT Act would change the types of expenditures that could be payable out of tax-favored investment accounts (such as FSAs and MSAs). Under the current set-up, Americans predominantly use pre-tax accounts to pay for treatment and detection of illnesses: prescription drugs, doctor visits, examinations and screenings.

The PHIT Act would allow consumers to set aside up to $1,000 ($2,000 per family) annually from their tax-favored accounts to make expenditures related to prevention in the form of increased physical activity, allowing fitness center dues, payments for some exercise equipment, and other fees associated with physical activity programs to be paid with pre-tax dollars.

What will the PHIT Act cost?
IHRSA has met with the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation and has requested an immediate “score” for the PHIT Act, which will determine the total cost of implementing the bill over a ten year period.

Who is supporting the PHIT Act?
IHRSA has gathered broad support for the PHIT Act during previous sessions of Congress. The PHIT Act was re-introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on April 27, 2009 by Representative Ron Kind (D-WI) and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. Co-sponsors, at the time of introduction, include Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Kevin Brady (R-TX), and Zach Wamp (R-TN). (Full co-sponsor list.)

Legislating a Healthier Future for Our Children

The following is an excerpt from the June 2009 issue of Club Business International, IHRSA's monthly magazine reaching almost 25,000 fitness professionals around the world.

The children of America are on the verge of a health crisis—and, ultimately, so, too, is the nation’s healthcare system. About one in three children and youth are already overweight or obese. In fact, today’s kids could be the first generation of Americans to live shorter lives than their parents.

Across the spectrum, it’s widely agreed that a lack of physical activity and poor nutrition are two of the leading culprits. According to the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, an initiative of the William J. Clinton Foundation, 92% of elementary schools do not offer daily physical education classes year-round, and only about 20% of high school students report eating fruits and green vegetables five or more times a day.

Fortunately, there’s a growing awareness of the issue. Congress, many state legislators, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Surgeon General, and political leaders are actively working to improve the health of America’s kids.

So far this year, 26 states have introduced physical education (PE) legislation. Many of the bills seek to impose specific requirements on PE programs’ weekly duration, standards, and implementation requirements, or create an assessment mechanism. In Illinois, House Bill 2291 proposes requiring each school board to have an annual assessment on the physical fitness levels of all students in grades five, seven, and nine. The results would be available in report cards, along with the average number of minutes of exercise PE students receive per week at each grade level.

Legislators in Mississippi are taking a different approach. They’re currently considering House Bill 791, which would require that children’s Body Mass Index (BMI) be measured starting in kindergarten and then every other year through tenth grade. The results, including percentile and an explanation, would be provided to parents. Montana is also considering a similar bill.

During these tough economic times, three states are currently weighing the merits of tax credits to encourage physical activity among youth. In Illinois and Maryland, families could be eligible for $500 tax credits for qualified youth physical fitness programs. The Maryland bill is part of a broader legislation that also includes tax credits for adults and seniors, including $500 tax credits for health club membership dues.

In 2007, the Canadian government began providing parents with a $500 children’s fitness tax credit for eligible expenses for children under age 16. While the U.S. federal government doesn’t offer such an incentive, the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) bill, one of IHRSA’s signature pieces of proposed federal legislation, would allow parents to pay for children’s physical fitness expenses with money from their family’s pre-tax savings account. These accounts are typically used for such health-related costs as doctor visits and prescription drug co-pays. This bill would allow parents to pay for exercise expenses that could prevent diseases associated with obesity. The pre-tax savings would grant many families access to youth fitness activities, such as little league and soccer. [Advocate for passage of the PHIT Act on campaign4health.org.]

It’s not just legislators who are taking aim at childhood obesity. Acting Surgeon General Rear Admiral Steven K. Galson, M.D., M.P.H., has launched an initiative called Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future. The goal of the program is to highlight local communities that are coming together to motivate kids to exercise and eat nutritious foods as well as teaching them to make healthy choices.

“Teaching our children the importance of eating well and being physically active at a young age is crucial to reversing the trend of obesity in this country,” said Galson. “Everyone has a role to play in this fight to prevent childhood obesity.”

IHRSA actively supports efforts to improve the health of children through physical activity and proper nutrition. In 2008, via work with the National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity, IHRSA supported the addition of PE requirements in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in Congress.

For more information, visit www.ihrsa.org/publicpolicy.

Baucus, Grassley Release Report on Financing Health Care Reform

The following is an excerpt from Capitol Report, a weekly e-newsletter from IHRSA Public Policy. IHRSA Members- subscribe today!

On Monday, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) released a report on policy options for financing comprehensive health care reform. This is the third and final report from the Committee before they begin to mark up legislation in June. Three potential areas for funding are explored in the report; two are significant for IHRSA’s health promotion efforts.

One section the report explores current health care tax expenditures. Among those, are nine different policy options including modifying or eliminating Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). Any change to FSAs is of particular importance to the fitness industry as it is the main tax vehicle for the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act (H.R. 2105).

While this report is not an outline of legislation that the Committee will consider, it does indicate the direction of the policies the Committee could well pursue. IHRSA has been and continues to heavily lobby members of the Senate Finance Committee and other Senators for their support of the PHIT Act. In fact, two Senators have expressed strong interest in introducing the bill in the Senate (it is currently, and historically has been, introduced in the House only). Fitness professionals are also speaking out. Earlier this month during the Summit for a Healthier America, fitness professionals met with staffers on the Committee and the offices of Senators on the Committee. It will be vital to the potential inclusion in any health care reform legislation that there is vocal support for Americans to continue to have access to FSAs and that FSAs be expanded to encourage healthy lifestyles.

The Senate report did address lifestyle tax proposals to “promote wellness and healthy lifestyle choices, and curb activities that increase overall health care costs.” The two policy options presented included the taxation of alcoholic beverages and excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. These measures demonstrate the Committee’s recognition that tax policy is a proven way to effect individual behavior change.

While these policies might “curb activities that increase overall health care costs” they do not go far enough to “promote wellness and healthy lifestyle choices.” Diet is only one part of the balance needed for a healthy lifestyle. Physical activity provides health benefits that diet alone cannot achieve. IHRSA will continue to lobby the Finance Committee and key Members of Congress for their support of tax policies that encourage physical activity as part of health care reform.

While IHRSA lobbies key Members, it is important that all Members of Congress hear from fitness professionals in their districts about the power of exercise and its impact on the people that they represent on Capitol Hill. You can make your voice heard by joining the Campaign for a Healthier America’s virtual march on Washington.

- Breanne McGahey

Rep. Ron Kind: Promoting Healthy Lifestyles

Last week, IHRSA fitness professionals gathered in DC for the Campaign for a Healthier America to lobby for support of the Workforce Health Improvement Program (WHIP) Act (HR 2106/S 913) and the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act (HR 2105). US Representative Ron Kind was the lead sponsor of both bills in the House. The following is a post by Representative Kind on The Hill Blog.

Let’s face it; Americans have been too sedentary, too long. Sixty-four percent of American adults and 34% of children suffer from chronic disease, often brought about by obesity and lack of physical activity. A recent study even found that 20% of our four-year olds are obese. If lifestyle changes aren’t made, these kids are going to become obese adults and struggle with chronic disease all their lives. This is something we must reverse.

There’s a lot we could be doing at home to take care of our health. In our everyday lives, we have control over exercising more, eating better and giving up smoking. And the better we take care of ourselves, the more dramatic decline we’ll see in health care costs.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that health care costs directly associated with inactivity were $76.6 billion in 2000. By using the tax code to incentivize physical activity, through the WHIP and PHIT Acts, we can cut these outrageous health care costs.

That’s why I and Rep. Zach Wamp, along with several other likeminded members of Congress, recently introduced the WHIP (Workforce Health Improvement Program) and PHIT (Personal Health Investment Today) Acts - to give people the incentive they need to get active; further preventing illness and disease, improving worker productivity and reducing the amount spent by consumers and government on managing major health issues every year.

The bills give employees pre-tax advantages for wellness activities, encouraging people to increase their physical activity. Not only does the WHIP Act affirm an employer’s right to deduct the cost of subsidizing or providing fitness center benefits to employees, encouraging them to offer the perk, but it also eliminates the income tax paid by employees on these benefits, giving them an incentive to get active. The PHIT bill increases the types of expenditures payable out of pre-tax health investment accounts, allowing taxpayers to use up to $1,000 annually for preventative exercise costs including fitness center dues, some exercise equipment, and sports activity fees, among others.

The WHIP and PHIT bills put us on the right track to reforming health care by keeping preventative measures in mind. These bills help remove the cost barrier associated with getting fit and promote a healthy lifestyle, furthering preventative health efforts and reducing our nation’s health care costs.

http://blog.thehill.com/2009/05/06/promoting-healthy-lifestyles-rep-ron-kind/

Wall posts, and pokes, and status updates – Oh my!

By now, if you’re not already a member, you’ve all at least heard about the global phenomenon that is Facebook. With over 200 million active members, it is now the 4th highest trafficked web property worldwide behind Yahoo!, Google, and Live.com (according to Compete.com).

Founded over five years ago at Harvard University, Facebook has proven it’s here to stay, as it’s is a staple in people’s everyday lives to quickly and efficiently stay in touch with friends, family, and co-workers.

In short, it is a social networking website community that enables people to connect with other people and share information, pictures, videos, etc. You can send messages, join causes and groups, and become a fan of ketchup, Bruce Springsteen, or even IHRSA.

Last week, IHRSA launched a Facebook page and group for the Campaign for a Healthier America, our newest grassroots advocacy initiative to bring together exercise enthusiasts to make healthy lifestyles a priority for all Americans and help pass the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) and Workforce Health Improvement Program (WHIP) Act – http://www.campaign4health.org.

Become a fan of the Campaign for a Healthier America page on Facebook. It provides a community to view videos, pictures, and any updates that people contribute from the Virtual March on Washington (the Campaign’s digital messages to Congress to support the passage of PHIT and WHIP). Watch the videos and see why exercise is important to other people, than tell us your story.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Campaign-for-a-Healthier-America/85844830406



You can also join the new Facebook group, “I want to live a long and healthy life (and save money while doing it)” to find out how you can save money on health club memberships, your kids’ sports league fees, and some exercise equipment with pre-tax dollars if the PHIT Act is passed. Find out how you can be a part of the cure for a healthier America: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=148406825183


Not a Facebook member? You can write an e-mail by clicking here to exercise your rights.


Cheers,
Kara Thomspon

Spring in DC

It's a sunny day in Boston and I've started thinking about the fast-approaching Summit for a Healthier America. Every Spring, for the last six years we have traveled to Washington for our largest annual Grassroots Initiative event. As the weather warms and we head into Convention, things start picking up for our advocacy.

This year we have a new spin on things. The name has changed from the Legislative Summit to the Summit for a Healthier America. It is also now part of our Campaign for a Healthier America, which will launch at the IHRSA 2009 Convention on Monday. Keep reading for more.

Spring and Change are in the air. Check out some photos from last year's event.



Created with flickr slideshow.

- Breanne McGahey

An Exercise Stimulus Plan

When the details of an economic stimulus plan are eventually agreed upon, Congress will likely make available millions of dollars to tax payers, but will do so with designs on how that money will be used once it reaches our wallets. Both current Senate and House packages include a substantial income tax credit with the idea that it will prompt retail sales. A tax credit for home purchases will be made available to revive the housing market.

This idea is not new or rare. Governments understand that tax policy has a unique power to influence behavior. However, while all lawmakers seem to understand this power, they struggle to always implement it in useful ways.

Bre McGahey’s post about New York Governor Paterson’s budget proposal ("Paterson’s State of the State Hypocrisy") highlights his recognition that taxing a behavior will discourage it. Unfortunately, as the post poignantly brings to light, the Governor’s budget discourages healthy lifestyles by imposing New York’s sales tax on health club dues.

With a nationwide obesity crisis, it is difficult to understand why New York is not alone in its attempt to tax health club memberships. Will the revenue gained from 5 or 6 percent of gym dues cover the costs of health care for type-2 diabetes? Heart disease? Cancer? A single one of the many other diseases associated with obesity?

It’s time to apply a more beneficial carrot-and-stick approach to health care. Some lawmakers have done this by introducing legislation that would offer a tax credit for engaging in a more active lifestyle. As of today, eight state legislatures are considering proposals that would offer a financial incentive for trying to get in shape. Tom Richards has posted on this page about WHIP and PHIT, two federal pieces of legislation that would encourage exercise through tax policy

I hope that more lawmakers, in Washington and in the 50 state legislatures, decide to use their most effective means to encourage physical activity. I can think of no better use of taxpayer money than having it re-invested in America’s health.

-Tim Sullivan

Power of the Press

Media members can and do play a significant role in influencing public opinion. They have the unique position of reaching into the homes of millions of people daily, informing and updating mass audiences with news that can become the basis for decision-making and action taken. Perhaps the most important role media can play is as an educator and advocate for positive causes. Recently, the editor-in-chief of Men's Fitness Magazine wrote a "Dear Obama" letter that does just this.

As someone who interacts with media members on a daily basis, I can assure you that they are indeed willing to be advocates. If your club launches new programming, get in touch with your local media. Let them know if you are promoting HHS's Physical Activity Guidelines. Educate them on the WHIP and PHIT Acts - they will listen.

-Rosemary Lavery

A Government That Works

"The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works." - President Obama, Inaugural Address

Of all the rhetoric packed into today's 20 minute inaugural address, I found the passage above the most revealing, and hope that our public health community agrees. If truly acted upon, such an approach will result in a search for new solutions, first and foremost, with less regard for custom. For an industry like ours, with so much to offer, but without a long history of direct engagement with public health officials, a new approach to our nation's health problems is a wonderful opportunity.

As noted in the latest issue of Men's Fitness, our leaders could take a big, new step toward solving our nation's health problems - obesity, in particular - by passing the IHRSA-supported WHIP and PHIT bills.

- Tom Richards