This document discusses health literacy and defines it as the degree to which individuals can obtain, process, and understand basic health information needed to make appropriate healthcare decisions. Only 12% of adults in the U.S. have proficient health literacy, meaning nine out of ten adults may lack the skills to manage their health. Poor health literacy is estimated to waste $35-73 billion annually due to prolonged hospital stays and frequent doctor visits. Improving health education from kindergarten through college is presented as a long-term solution to address this costly societal problem.