Treat and Reduce Obesity Act

Overview

The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act offers clinically- and cost-effective solutions to the obesity epidemic by ensuring that Medicare patients have access to the best possible care at only a fraction of the cost. The bill removes unnecessary barriers, which would allow a variety of qualified practitioners, such as registered dietitians, to effectively treat obesity through Intensive Behavioral Therapy. The bill also authorizes coverage for FDA-approved weight loss medications that complement Intensive Behavioral Therapy.

Academy Resources

• Issue Brief for Academy Members: Treat and Reduce Obesity Act
• Leave Behind: Treat and Reduce Obesity Act

Key Points

The nation is paying the price for overlooking the importance of food and nutrition. We are an increasingly overweight and obese nation, with two-thirds of the adult population carrying excess weight. Obesity is an astronomically expensive problem for our nation ($210 billion per year). The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act offers clinically- and cost-effective solutions to the obesity epidemic.

Clinically Effective

• The bill removes unnecessary barriers to (1) allow a variety of qualified practitioners, such as RDNs, to effectively treat obesity through Intensive Behavioral Therapy and authorize coverage for FDA-approved weight loss medications that complement Intensive Behavioral Therapy.
• Research shows that after two years, patients who received Intensive Behavioral Therapy from a RDN are twice as likely to achieve clinically significant weight loss, experience greater average weight loss, and exercise more than patients who did not receive Intensive Behavioral Therapy.
• The expert consensus is that RDNs are the best practitioners to carry out Intensive Behavioral Therapy, as stated by the IOM, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and most physicians.

Cost Effective

• Supporting RDNs to provide Intensive Behavioral Therapy is cost effective.
• RDNs' services cost 25-percent less per 2 pounds of weight loss.
• RDNs' payment fee is 85 percent of primary care providers' fees.
• RDNs can help minimize costs for nutrition services, like Intensive Behavioral Therapy, while delivering the best results.
• The bill provides coordinated, interdisciplinary care that increases efficiency and efficacy, which improves health care quality and reduces costs.