As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This expression was coined more than two centuries ago. But when it comes to bringing America's health care system into the 21^st century, it is perhaps more relevant today than ever.

With a business model that is broad, diverse and adaptable, UnitedHealth Group manages and organizes highly complex health delivery systems. We are privileged to interact with nearly three-quarters of a million physicians and other health care providers, employ approximately 80,000 people and provide health benefits and health services for tens of millions of customers. We manage and analyze terabytes of health data using some of the most innovative and modern health information technology in the marketplace today.

But in the end, we know that making health care more efficient and more effective starts with that ounce of prevention. We view programs for individuals and communities, for prevention and medical care, as part of the comprehensive continuum necessary to achieve optimal health for all.

Far too many of the vast resources spent on health care are directed toward treating illnesses and diseases that could be prevented with early detection, well-directed wellness programs and lifestyle changes.

In few areas is prevention more important than in forestalling the impact of chronic disease. For example, approximately 80 million Americans either suffer from diabetes or are pre-diabetic, and diabetes is a growing problem worldwide. The direct and indirect costs of this disease are $174 billion annually in the United States. Left unchecked, diabetes costs the health care system and consumers billions of dollars and, far worse, it cuts lives short.