A solid editorial in The New York Times (5/7/12): “The fund is already providing grants to state and local governments to help pay for programs to fight obesity and prevent chronic diseases, including diabetes, in the community, the workplace and among minority groups that have high rates of both obesity and diabetes. Killing off this program would be hugely costly to Americans’ health, and future health care costs. There is no explanation for this move, except for the usual anti-health care reform demagogy.” Read the full editorial: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/07/opinion/no-longer-just-adult-onset.html

It does appear that a greater understanding of the merits of the Fund is taking hold. For example, from the Decatur (AL) Daily, in Put Health Over Politics (5/6/12): “The Prevention and Public Health Fund that the House voted to end practically has Alabama in its title. In effect, it is a gift from wealthier states with lower rates of diabetes and other preventable diseases to the people of Alabama… Maybe our representatives wish they were from Vermont, but they need to grasp the realities of Alabama. We have the highest incidence of diabetes in the nation, and neither our state nor our people have the resources to deal with it.” Read the full editorial: http://www.decaturdaily.com/stories/Put-health-over-politics,95400

Quote of the day on use of the Fund as a student loan offset is from The New York Times (5/2/12): “To cover the $6 billion cost of keeping interest rates at 3.4 percent for a year, it would eliminate a farsighted fund established by the health care reform law to help states and communities prevent obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and infectious diseases, among other ailments.” Read the full editorial: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/03/opinion/short-term-fixes-for-student-loans.html