If we don't invest in our primary care system, we're going to bankrupt the system, because acute care is just too expensive. It's very expensive. We need to focus on keeping people healthy before they get to emergency. We need programs that engage people in managing their diabetes and chronic diseases through exercise, good dietary practices, and so forth. If we don't invest there, as countless federal reports have said we should, then we're going to bankrupt the health system. If this happens, the health care portion of overall spending will rise.
On November 18th, 2009. See this statement in context.