Annual Cost of Treating Diabetes: $10,000; Heart Attack Treatment: $45,000; Prevention: Nada

So what gives? A new study by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, “Patient Costs As a Barrier to Intensive Health Behavior Counseling” found that if there is a fee for participating in weight loss or smoking cessation programs, neither consumers or health care professionals are interested. When there are fees (of any type) for participating in the programs, health care professionals referred 97% fewer consumers; of those referred, 81% fewer consumers actually followed through and participated.

To me, this speaks to two issues. First, health care professionals don't believe in the value of prevention programs—or they’d refer more of their patients. This is bad news for programs in the disease management space. Second, consumers are not connecting their health status with their behaviors—and the long-term consequences (in quality of life, cost, mortality, etc.) of their behaviors. This is bad news for behavioral health provider organizations and professionals.

I'm not sure what the solution is to this dilemma. And, I'm not so sure that making all of these programs 'free' is the best policy choice. The research is pretty clear that without some financial participation (no matter how minimal), consumers have a lack of engagement in health services. But, helping to change perceptions of the value of prevention programs is the bigger issue.