A coalition of consumer and public health groups praised the inclusion of money in the health cost-control bill adopted by lawmakers Tuesday to pay for programs to stem chronic illnesses such as diabetes, asthma, and heart disease that are fueling the growth of medical costs.

The $60 million earmarked over the next four years for the Prevention and Wellness Trust, believed to be the first such state-based prevention fund in the nation, will be paid for by a tax on insurers and an assessment on some larger hospitals.