Catapulting the chasm: or how to avoid wasting a perfectly good fiscal disaster.

The nation once again is on the precipice of financial catastrophe, but have we overlooked public health? Juxtaposed against one another, the comparison of health care with public health-one largely overutilized, expensive, and underperforming, the other responsible for eradicating diseases and providing safe food and water-cries out for thoughtful fiscal recalibration. We have examined the recent Institute of Medicine report on public health financing and made actionable recommendations for sustainable public health financing.