In my Huffington Post column, I mentioned the Drudge headline blasting the STD prevention section of the recovery bill. Turns out, preventing STDs actually does provide relief to the economy -- by tens of billions of dollars. The Center for American Progress reports:
– Increase workforce productivity. More than 56,000 people become infected with HIV/AIDS each year. The CDC estimates that the new infections cost the country $56 billion in medical care and lost productivity.
– Lower health industry costs. STDs, some of the most preventable diseases, cost the U.S. health care system as much as $15.3 billion annually.
– Lower federal government costs. The federal government is expected to spend $12.3 billion on HIV/AIDS-related medical care in 2009.
Uhhh. They said STDs.