Statement: Obesity Care Advocacy Network Calls on Congress to Expand Medicare Access to Lifesaving Obesity Care in Budget Reconciliation
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As active negotiations continue on Capitol Hill about adding broad new benefits to Medicare, including dental, hearing, and vision, the Obesity Care Advocacy Network (OCAN) calls on Congress and the White House to prioritize obesity care as part of the budget reconciliation discussion, especially given that obesity is one of the leading comorbidities for severe cases of COVID-19 and disproportionately impacts Black and Latino adults, the same communities that face a higher risk from the pandemic.
"The lack of Medicare access to comprehensive obesity care is one of the most dire health equity issues facing our nation and it must be included in the conversation around improving Medicare,” said Joe Nadglowski, co-chair of the Obesity Care Advocacy Network. “Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, people with obesity have been more likely to be hospitalized if infected. As COVID-19 continues to evolve, it is imperative that we remedy outdated policies putting the health of those with obesity at greater risk. Congress must take action now to provide access to obesity care.”
Considered an epidemic by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity affects more than 1 in 3 Americans, including nearly 43% of seniors on Medicare, a disproportionate share of whom are Black or Latino. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 78% of people who were hospitalized, placed on a ventilator or died from COVID-19 were overweight or had obesity. Now, during the Delta surge, people living with obesity are particularly vulnerable and face a dual health crisis.
When Medicare Part D was first created, obesity was not widely viewed as a disease. But in 2013, the American Medical Association took the historic step of recognizing that obesity is a complex, chronic disease that requires support to prevent and treat it. Yet Medicare has remained unchanged, preventing millions of older adults from accessing the full continuum of care for obesity. Medicare falls particularly short on its lack of coverage of FDA-approved anti-obesity medications and overly narrow coverage for intensive behavioral therapy for obesity.
The bipartisan Treat and Reduce Obesity Act, championed by Senators Carper (D-DE) and Cassidy (R-LA) and Representatives Kind (D-WI), Ruiz (D-CA), Wenstrup (R-OH), and Reed (R-NY), would ensure Medicare coverage policies reflect current guidelines and standards of care by providing access to lifesaving FDA-approved anti-obesity medications and expanding access to intensive behavioral therapy. Better access to a range of effective treatment could not only save money but also save lives, since obesity is associated with more than $170 billion in excess medical costs per year.
About the Obesity Care Advocacy Network
The Obesity Care Advocacy Network (OCAN) is a diverse group of organizations that have come together to change how we perceive and approach obesity in the United States. OCAN envisions a future where obesity is fully recognized and treated as a complex chronic disease.
For additional information, please visit https://obesitycareadvocacynetwork.com/.