According to Gerberding, although the current generation of seniors appears less healthy than their predecessors and children have become less healthy in recent years, disease prevention accounts for only 3% of U.S. health care spending. She said, "If we don't do something about these problems, then the benefits we achieved in the last century, in lifespan, are threatened."

However, lawmakers "noted that Gerberding's rhetoric was not backed up in Bush's budget," CQ HealthBeat reports. Bush has proposed to eliminate a $99 million block grant that CDC administers to states for disease prevention programs and reduce the agency budget for promotion of healthy behavior by $3 million from FY 2006 to $959 million in FY 2008.

In addition, Bush has proposed to reduce funds for programs that seek to improve public health by $10 million from FY 2006 to $190 million in FY 2008. Rep. James Walsh (R-N.Y.) said, "It looks like we're actually going in the opposite direction of where we need to go in prevention." Rep. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) said, "You sound the alarm, but there's little in this budget that shows a commitment to prevention." Gerberding said, "I have to say, you are correct, pointing out the straight-line aspect of our preventive health budget."

Morale Problems
Democratic lawmakers also criticized Gerberding for morale problems at CDC and for reports of large bonuses paid to agency officials. Gerberding acknowledged that CDC has about 800 staff vacancies and has experienced problems with recruitment but said that morale problems "are not uniform" across the agency. In addition, she said that the bonuses were "mischaracterized by the press" (Wayne, CQ HealthBeat, 3/9).

Extracted from website 3/12/2007
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=43507