Trust for American Health, a nonprofit health advocacy group, found that disease prevention programs pay off more than five to one. For every dollar spent on programs educating people and encouraging physical activity and healthy eating and discouraging smoking, more than five dollars are saved in treatments.

Overall, as much as $16 billion a year could be saved, the report alleges. The calculations were the result of an estimated spending of $10 per person per year. Those who should pay for prevention programs are agencies that promote prevention programs now, such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Medicare would save more than $5 billion a year, Medicaid would save more than $1.9 billion and private health insurers would save more than $9 billion, according to the report titled "Prevention for a Healthier America."

"People think preventative health care pays off 20 or 30 years from now, but this shows you get the money back almost immediately, and then the savings grow bigger and bigger," said Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, quoted by the Washington Post. He is scheduled to speak at an event marking the report's release today.

Unfortunately U.S. spending on prevention programs has been stagnant for about four years, at least partly due to the misconception that preventive programs pay off in decades. There are several factors to be taken into account. It is still hard to evaluate whether healthier people cost less the government.

Some studies have found, for example, that those who smoke and the obese die sooner, saving in the end the government money. Other studies found that smokers and obese people do not live significantly less, but they have a larger number of diseases and they cost more.