Legislative Agenda

About Chronic Disease Day

Chronic diseases account for 7 of the top 10 causes of death in America and more than 90 percent of our annual healthcare spending. Hundreds of thousands of Americans who suffer from unpreventable chronic conditions need access to care. But the deadliest and costliest chronic diseases are also the most preventable. We promote actionable resources to lower the rate of preventable chronic diseases so that our healthcare system can better support individuals with unpreventable chronic conditions and invisible illnesses.

Advocate for Chronic Disease & Invisible Illness

Chronic Disease Day is an opportunity for legislators to pledge to address issues that impact across the entire chronic disease community. These issues include funding needed medical research and public health programs and advancing legislation that supports a patient’s ability to access the care they need. While we reflect on recent progress and opportunities for further advancement around July 10th, our community of supporters work year-round to educate policymakers about contemporary issues and to use our stories and collective voice to advocate for issues that impact across the chronic disease community.

Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 and 2026 Funding Recommendations

Please provide the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with a meaningful funding increase and sustained resource to comprehensively address chronic diseases, study and respond to the common root causes for chronic illness, initiate prevention and education efforts and expand resources for patients with unpreventable chronic illness.
Please provide a notable funding increase for CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) with systematic and meaningful annual increases to sustain needed investments and address significant gaps in public health in this area.
Please provide a meaningful funding increase for NCCDPHP’s Chronic Disease Education and Awareness program and properly support all line-item NCCDPHP programs.
Please provide the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with a meaningful funding increase and sustained commitment to support additional research.