Congressman Vern Buchanan, Vice Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and Chairman of the Health Subcommittee, led a field hearing in Florida’s 16th Congressional District on Apr. 14 to discuss how prevention, coordinated care, and new approaches can help Americans live healthier lives.
The hearing focused on the increasing burden of chronic disease in the United States and explored ways to shift toward a system that emphasizes prevention. Buchanan said there is an urgent need for change: “I’m so proud to be able to highlight work that’s being done in this region. … Let me just ask a couple of quick questions by a show of hands. Please raise your hand if you believe … eating real food is a key component to preventing and reducing chronic diseases.”
During the session, witnesses from local medical institutions agreed more could be done regarding nutrition education for both physicians and patients, but noted that current insurance programs do not sufficiently cover preventive measures. Dr. Christopher Davis said, “I would say that 90 plus percent of all chronic disease is caused by toxins that we are exposed to in our environment… Longevity is not living longer. It’s thriving… We have to wake up, and we have to start looking at where the true causes are.”
Dr. Mark Kaufman described efforts at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) Bradenton: “We have a very unique curriculum here at LECOM Bradenton… It’s really a refocusing on prevention instead of reactive medicine. It’s much more expensive to treat the heart attack… than it is to prevent it in the first place.” Buchanan also discussed his legislative efforts: “In the House, I lead bills to increase screening on … lung cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.” Dr. Patrick Hwu supported this approach: “You are absolutely correct. If we can screen and catch cancer early, we can cure the cancer… The key is to catch these cancers early.”
Buchanan has served as U.S Representative for Florida’s 16th district since replacing Katherine Harris in 2007 according to congressional records. He previously served in the Florida House of Representatives as reported by official sources. Born in Detroit in 1951, Buchanan currently resides in Sarasota according to his biography. He graduated from Cleary University with a BA degree before earning another degree from University of Detroit Mercy as noted by Vote Smart.
As Chairman of the Health Subcommittee with jurisdiction over Medicare programs, Buchanan continues leading discussions about shifting health care policy toward proactive measures.
