How will you fight the rise of chronic illness?

Many political analysts are describing this year's election as a crossroads moment. You can make a case that this is true on a number of issues, from the Supreme Court to foreign policy to the environment. It's important that we make certain health care is on that list. There is no question that the decisions we make in November are going to be critical to our health and well-being, and not necessarily for the reasons you might think.

In other words, I'm not focusing on the Affordable Care Act, not entirely anyway. The biggest health care issue confronting candidates this fall isn't whether or not to repeal Obamacare. Actually, it's how we're going to confront the rise of chronic illnesses in this country - think diabetes, cancer, heart disease - that poses tremendous threats to our society and our economy. It will be outrageous negligence if we don't get the candidates on record as to how they will address issues of population health.

This is a matter of specific concern to Iowans. According to the IHS Life Sciences research organization, over the next decade there will be nearly 800,000 citizens in our state with heart disease, more than a quarter-million cancer patients and roughly 200,000 diabetics. The bottom line is that we, as a people, will be experiencing too much pain and suffering and our health care system will be drowning in rising costs (which, in turn, raises health insurance premiums for all of us). Not to mention the impact that chronic disease has on economic productivity.

This future is not inevitable. We can change course and help enable hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens to avoid these devastating and potentially deadly illnesses. But, so much of reshaping our future depends on public policy, and that's why we need to demand answers from both Republicans and Democrats on the ballot.

For example - and here is the one instance I'll focus on the Affordable Care Act - the intent of the health care law is that every American should have access to quality care. And yet, research shows that Iowans are receiving recommended preventive care only 60 percent of the time. A question for the candidates for Congress and the presidency: How do you propose to close this gap? How do we make sure all Iowans receive the preventive medicine that can detect and even help avoid chronic illnesses?

And, on a larger scale, how do candidates propose that we further reshape our health care system, which today devotes the lion's share of resources to treating illnesses after symptoms have already significantly progressed? We need to transform into a system that emphasizes diagnosis, early treatment and disease prevention, but what are the steps to get there?

It is also essential that those running for office not just talk about the cost of health care, but instead share their vision regarding the future of American medicine. There is significant progress being made in laboratories across the country on new, more effective therapies for diseases like cancer and diabetes. Progress in genomics is bringing hope that a better understanding of an individual's DNA can lead to actual cures for the illnesses that have plagued humankind. It's vital that candidates tell us whether they will support policies that will continue the flow of resources to this critical research.

So, yes, while many of the pundits and analysts will be endlessly discussing which man or woman will get to appoint new justices to the Supreme Court, we shouldn't lose sight of other issues, like health care, that are on the line in this election. Our lives and our health literally depend on it.

' Jim Henter is president of the Iowa Retail Federation and co-chair of the Iowa chapter of the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease.