Medicare to cover obesity screening, 'intensive behavioral therapy'

Dec 2 2011

This coverage decision ensures that an estimated 30 percent of the 42 million people who participate in Medicare will be able to undertake physician-supervised weight-loss programs.

Los Angeles Times: Medicare Extends Coverage For Obesity
Medicare, the nation's medical safety net for seniors, on Wednesday announced it would extend its coverage for obesity screening and "intensive behavioral therapy," ensuring that roughly 30 percent of the 42 million people insured by the program can undertake a weight-loss program supervised by their doctor (Healy, 11/30).

Kaiser Health News: Capsules: Medicare Offers Expanded Coverage To Battle Expanding Waistlines
Keeping off the pounds is tough at any age. Now seniors are getting a helping hand from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which has announced that it will cover screening and counseling for obesity as a free preventive service for Medicare beneficiaries. Coverage is effective immediately (Andrews, 12/1).

Reuters: Medicare To Cover Obesity Counseling, Screening
The U.S. Medicare program for the elderly will cover counseling for obesity in an effort to reduce the condition that has reached epidemic proportions and leads to serious health problems. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) said on Tuesday obesity counseling and screening has been added to its portfolio of preventive services (11/30).