Which of the following is NOT a pro of prevention spending?

• A. Reduces future disease rates
• B. Improves productivity
• C. Decreases hospital demand
• D. Increases long-term costs

Answer: (D)

The idea being tested is that prevention spending brings concrete benefits to health and society. Prevention aims to keep people healthier, which lowers the number of people who get sick in the future, keeps people able to work more days, and reduces the pressure on hospitals from fewer admissions. Those three outcomes—lower disease rates, higher productivity, and less hospital demand—are all positive effects of investing in prevention.

The option that suggests long-term costs rise is not a pro because the whole point of preventive investment is to avoid expensive treatments and medical complications down the line. While there can be upfront costs to implement preventive programs, the typical expectation is that these investments save money over time by reducing illness, hospital use, and related costs, and by keeping the workforce healthier. So increasing long-term costs isn’t a benefit of prevention spending.