Access to Care Matters for Diabetes and Obesity

We are constantly hearing about obesity and the growing burden of chronic diseases that come from it. So with more than a third of the U.S. population already affected by obesity, it makes sense that access to care to prevent or slow the progression of chronic diseases resulting from obesity is urgently needed.

By the end of April, the Obesity Action Coalition expects that the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act will be introduced into the new session of Congress with bi-partisan support. The purpose of this legislation is to remove barriers to obesity treatment under Medicare that are accidents of history. It would open up the possibility for dietitians and other skilled obesity care providers to help people manage their condition and prevent it from progressing.

It would remove statutory barriers to coverage of FDA approved medicines for treating obesity. These barriers are artifacts of a time when no safe and effective long-term treatments for obesity were available.

We are already seeing that access to care makes a big difference in diabetes. As more and more people are gaining insurance coverage, more people are coming forward to get their diabetes under control. A new study in Diabetes Care finds a 23 percent surge in diagnosis and treatment of diabetes when people gain expanded access to health care through Medicaid.

In obesity, access to evidence-based care remains a problem. Under the Affordable Care Act, all health plans are supposed to cover preventive services that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has found to be effective. Intensive behavioral treatment (IBT) is one such service. So health plans all say that they cover it. Some actually provide real IBT services. Others pay for one conversation with your doctor per year -- something that is proven to have no impact on obesity.

In the Obesity Action Coalition's research, we find that most people have health insurance to cover hospital stays, doctor visits, and routine prescriptions like blood pressure medicines. But most people say their insurance won't cover a registered dietitian, medical weight management, obesity medicines, or obesity surgery if they need it.

Obesity is a chronic disease. Without evidence-based medical care, it gets worse. So the Obesity Action Coalition unequivocally supports the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act, as well as efforts to improve access to evidence-based medical care for obesity under every health plan.

-Ted Kyle, RPh, MBA

To learn more about the Treat Obesity Act and how you or your organization can get involved, please click here.

Thanks,

March 16, 2015

Yahoo Health

By Amanda Chan

The article includes data showing that 274 out of 1,000 women with obesity will be diagnosed with cancer; a much higher number than the 194 out of 1,000 women of normal weight who would be expected to be diagnosed with cancer. The article also reports that lifestyle changes, like not smoking, keeping a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet and cutting back on alcohol, are the big opportunities for us all to personally reduce our cancer risk.

March 6, 2015

Marketplace Business

By Tim Fitzsimons

Obesity and related complications cost Americans roughly $150 billion per year in health care spending. While diet, exercise and surgery all work to a point, these methods are plagued by relapses. A new device approved by the FDA last year could address obesity in a novel way. According to the article, VBLOC therapy, which is delivered by the "Maestro system," is essentially a pacemaker for the stomach. It is implanted under the skin and connects to the vagus nerve.

Salud: Telemundo, NBC Universo Team Up For Health-Focused Program to Educate Latinos

March 6, 2015

Latin Post

By Nicole Akoukou Thompson

Addressing preventable diseases early on can undermine predispositions and risk factors, and it can disempower blockades that stand between Latinos and ideal health. To that end, Telemundo and NBC Universo have collaborated to create a year-round platform aimed toward delivering extended resources and educating the public through expert information on wellness and pressing health concerns. Prevenir Es Vivir (Prevention Is Life) is a 365-day approach to health and wellness, and the program looks to embolden the Latino community by activating people to share personal stories of overcoming struggles and offer the latest health information.

Just a Half Hour of Lost Sleep Linked to Weight Gain

March 5, 2015

U.S. News and World Report via HealthDay

By Randy Dotinga

A recent study suggests that missing just 30 minutes of sleep during weeknights could increase your weight and disrupt your metabolism. Many people skimp on sleep during the week and try to make up for it on the weekend, wrote study author Shahrad Taheri, professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College in Doha, Qatar. Weekday sleep debt may also lead to long-term metabolic disruption, which can promote or exacerbate type 2 diabetes.

In the Fight Against Obesity, the Odds Are Stacked Higher Than Ever, Experts Say

March 3, 2015

Seattle PI

By Timi Gustafson

The article reports that by the end of this decade, diseases stemming from poor diet and unhealthy lifestyle choices will top all other causes of death worldwide. At the same time, the article reports that there are no effective policies in place to tackle the most pressing problems such as the obesity epidemic and other non-communicable diseases that are now affecting billions of people around the globe. Experts say that even in developed countries, these challenges are not yet fully understood and are not met with the necessary countermeasures to prevent further deterioration.