Bush Health Budget Hypocritical

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WASHINGTON – With the cost of health care continuing to skyrocket,Energy and Commerce Committee Vice Chair Diana DeGette (D-CO) todaypressed Health and Human Services Secretary, Michael O. Leavitt, aboutthe hypocrisy inherent in the President's 2009 budget proposal for theDepartment of Health and Human Services. While chairing the fullCommittee on Energy and Commerce Hearing, DeGette made the point thatdespite the Administration's claim that they don't want to waste moneyby funding duplicitous programs or programs that no longer serve theirpurpose, the Administration continues to fund programs that are not‘evidence-based' and are ineffective.

"The President's budget slashes funding for many important healthprograms, such as the Prevention Block Grant and Health Professionsprograms," said DeGette. "As justification, President Bush states thatthe programs are ‘not based on evidence-based practices' and‘evaluations have found that these activities do not have ademonstrated impact.' However, the President fails to apply these sameeffectiveness standards to the ‘abstinence-only' programs, which areslated for another huge increase of $28 million. Study after study,including a 10-year study commissioned by the President's ownAdministration, has shown these programs to be ineffective at best, andin some cases actually counterproductive."

An April 2007 report commissioned by the Department of Health and HumanServices found that there is no evidence that abstinence programsimplemented in upper elementary and middle schools are effective inreducing teen sexual activity. Furthermore, the study found that ‘themain objective of Title V, Section 510 abstinence education programs isto teach abstinence from sexual activity outside of marriage… Theimpact results from the four selected programs show no impact on ratesof sexual abstinence.'

"The rationale of the Bush Administration to cut programs that theAdministration has determined ‘do not have a demonstrated impact' whilesimultaneously increasing funding for abstinence-only programs isabsolutely hypocritical."