Congressional Budget Office analysts are going on the assumption that only about 20% of preventive health care services save much money.
CBO Director Douglas Elmendorf discusses the return-on-wellness-investment issue in a letter prepared in response to questions from Rep. Nathan Deal, R-Ga., the highest-ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee's health subcommittee.
Early research has suggested that about 20% of preventive care and wellness measures save substantial amounts of money; 60% have costs that are reasonable relative to the benefits; almost 20% have costs that outweigh the apparent value; and a few harm users' health while increasing overall health care costs, Elmendorf writes.