This week, Your Weight Matters is helping to recognize Obesity Care Week. This is a national awareness campaign that aims to change the way society cares about obesity by:
- Providing science and clinically-based education
- Advocating for access to affordable and comprehensive healthcare
Today, on March 5th of Obesity Care Week, the focus is on access to care. Everyone deserves access to healthcare that is not limited by their size, weight or economic status. However, the reality is that many patients who are struggling with their weight and its impacts on their health don’t get access. That’s why today, Access to Care Day, encourages us to rethink what quality access to care really means and how we can provide it.
Core Beliefs about Access to Care
- Everyone should have access to care that isn’t limited by size, weight or economic status.
- Access to comprehensive obesity care is needed for long-term obesity control.
- All public and private insurance plans should include comprehensive obesity care benefits.
- Employers can improve the health and quality of life of their employees by providing comprehensive obesity healthcare coverage.
- Access to care includes access to healthcare providers trained in weight management.
- A lack of obesity healthcare negatively impacts the health and well-being of those affected.
An Opportunity for Improvement: Passing the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act
Thankfully, the Obesity Action Coalition (founder of Your Weight Matters) is working to improve access to care for people who struggle with their weight. One way they are doing this is by championing the final passage of the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA). TROA is a bipartisan bill that aims to treat and reduce obesity in older Americans by expanding Medicare benefits for:
- Intensive behavioral counseling
- Additional types of healthcare providers (like dietitians, psychologists and specialty physicians)
- FDA-approved obesity medications
Learn more about TROA at ObesityAction.org/TROA.
Here’s How You Can Help:
Take Action on Access to Care Day by helping TROA pass in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate! The OAC has made it easy. Using the OAC Action Center, send a letter (already written for you) to your state’s legislators urging them to co-sponsor and support the final passage of this legislation.
CLICK HERE to send your letter!
To view Obesity Care Week’s fact sheet on access to care, CLICK HERE.
