Loading....

A Glance at Obesity in America

In 2010, the Congressional Budget Office released a report showing obesity rates in America had more than doubled (13 to 28 %) between 1987 and 2007. Since then obesity rates have continued to increase. Today nearly 70 percent of Americans are affected by excess weight or obesity.

What is the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act and Why is it Important?

TROA is an acronym for the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act. It is a bi-partisan bill first introduced during the 113th Congressional session in 2013. The bill has been re-introduced in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate by Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Tom Carper (D-DE) and Representatives Ron Kind (D-WI) and Brett Guthrie (R-KY), respectively.
This bill would expand Medicare coverage to include screening and treatment of obesity from a diverse range of healthcare providers who specialize in obesity care. The bill would also include coverage of FDA-approved medications for chronic weight management.
This bill is not part of any other legislation. It is a bill designed to gain support from Republicans and Democrats and serves to make a better world for people living with obesity.
This bill is important to all Americans as health insurance companies model their covered health benefits to reflect coverage to Medicare beneficiaries. Meaning that it can lead to increased obesity care coverage to all Americans.

Specifically, TROA will:

Expand Medicare benefits for intensive behavioral counseling through community-based programs and additional types of healthcare providers, including: dietitians, psychologists and specialty physicians.
Expand coverage of FDA-approved prescription drugs for chronic weight management.

Supporting Resources:

Treat and Reduce Obesity Act: Frequently Asked Questions
Treat and Reduce Obesity Act: One-pager
Treat and Reduce Obesity Act: Budget Impact Analysis

We Need YOUR Voice to Pass the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act through Congress!

You can play an important role in helping the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA) pass in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate! The OAC needs you to urge both of your Senators, as well as your House of Representatives member to cosponsor and support the final passage of this legislation.

How You Can Do it:

Take advantage of our easy-to-use- automatic message generator to contact your legislators by entering your address below. We strongly encourage you to add YOUR PERSONAL STORY to help them better understand the need for greater access to critical obesity treatment tools. The great thing about our system is that it will automatically generate a thank you note if your legislator already supports TROA. Thank you letters are very important as well!

We just need few pieces of information to connect you with representatives.

First Name*

Last Name*

Email Address*

Address, line 1*

City*

State*

Zip Code*

I'd like to receive updates from this organization

Take Action

Help Improve Access to Obesity Care!

The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA) is important legislation that improves access to obesity care for those on Medicare. It's reach is far greater than that though! Private insurers and employers often follow Medicare's lead when it comes to coverage so passage of TROA benefits all who need access to care.

Members of the US Senate who supported TROA in the PAST

Subject: Please Renew Your Support of the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act - S. 595!

Message:

I am writing today to urge you to renew your support of the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (S. 595) in the 116th Congress.This legislation will provide Medicare beneficiaries and their health care providers with meaningful tools to treat and reduce obesity by improving access to obesity screening and counseling services and new prescription drugs for chronic weight management. Specifically, the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act gives the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) the authority to enhance beneficiary access to intensive behavioral counseling services for obesity by allowing additional types of health care providers to offer these services. In addition, the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act allows CMS to provide coverage of prescription drugs under Medicare Part D for chronic weight management to individuals who are affected by obesity. Science-based literature clearly demonstrates that people affected by obesity can substantially improve their health and quality of life when they have access to a continuum of medically necessary treatment - including behavioral, nutritional, pharmaceutical, psychosocial and surgical treatment. Even a 5-10 percent weight loss produces clinically significant reductions in risk factors for chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, heart disease, mental illness, lipid disorders, pulmonary disease (obstructive sleep apnea and restrictive lung disease), and certain cancers. In fact, a recent study found that Medicare could save between $18 billion and $23 billion over ten years should Congress pass the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act -- savings that would come from a reduction in Part B (ambulatory care) and Part D (prescription drug) expenditures. Thanks again for your previous support of the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act and we hope that you will renew your support for this important legislation by once again becoming a cosponsor.

Remaining:

House Members who Supported TROA in the PAST

Subject: Please Renew Your Support of the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (H.R. 1530)!

Message:

I am writing today to urge you to renew your support of the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (H.R. 1530) in the 116th Congress.This legislation will provide Medicare beneficiaries and their health care providers with meaningful tools to treat and reduce obesity by improving access to obesity screening and counseling services and new prescription drugs for chronic weight management. Specifically, the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act gives the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) the authority to enhance beneficiary access to intensive behavioral counseling services for obesity by allowing additional types of health care providers to offer these services. In addition, the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act allows CMS to provide coverage of prescription drugs under Medicare Part D for chronic weight management to individuals who are affected by obesity. Science-based literature clearly demonstrates that people affected by obesity can substantially improve their health and quality of life when they have access to a continuum of medically necessary treatment - including behavioral, nutritional, pharmaceutical, psychosocial and surgical treatment. Even a 5-10 percent weight loss produces clinically significant reductions in risk factors for chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, heart disease, mental illness, lipid disorders, pulmonary disease (obstructive sleep apnea and restrictive lung disease), and certain cancers. In fact, a recent study found that Medicare could save between $18 billion and $23 billion over ten years should Congress pass the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act -- savings that would come from a reduction in Part B (ambulatory care) and Part D (prescription drug) expenditures. Thanks again for your previous support of the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act and we hope that you will renew your support for this important legislation by once again becoming a cosponsor.

Remaining:

Senate Members who Support TROA in 2019

Subject: Thank you for supporting the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act!

Message:

I am writing today to thank you for cosponsoring the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2019. This legislation will improve the health of Medicare beneficiaries and their health care providers by providing meaningful tools to treat and reduce obesity by improving access to obesity screening and counseling services, and new prescription drugs for chronic weight management.

Thanks again for your support and giving hope and options to those affected by obesity.

House Members who Support TROA in 2019

Subject: Thank you for supporting the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act!

Message:

For those who are new or have not supported TROA in the past

Subject: Please Support the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act - S. 595!

Message:

I am writing today to urge you to support the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (S. 595) in the 116th Congress.This legislation will provide Medicare beneficiaries and their health care providers with meaningful tools to treat and reduce obesity by improving access to obesity screening and counseling services and new prescription drugs for chronic weight management.

Specifically, the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act gives the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) the authority to enhance beneficiary access to intensive behavioral counseling services for obesity by allowing additional types of health care providers to offer these services. In addition, the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act allows CMS to provide coverage of prescription drugs under Medicare Part D for chronic weight management to individuals who are affected by obesity.

Science-based literature clearly demonstrate that people affected by obesity can substantially improve their health and quality of life when they have access to a continuum of medically necessary treatment - including behavioral, nutritional, pharmaceutical, psychosocial and surgical treatment. Even a 5-10 percent weight loss produces clinically significant reductions in risk factors for chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, heart disease, mental illness, lipid disorders, pulmonary disease (obstructive sleep apnea and restrictive lung disease) and certain cancers.

Please support the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act today by becoming a cosponsor.

For those who are new or have not supported TROA in the past

Subject: Please Support the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (H.R. 1530)!

Message:

I am writing today to urge you to support the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (H.R. 1530) in the 116th Congress.This legislation will provide Medicare beneficiaries and their health care providers with meaningful tools to treat and reduce obesity by improving access to obesity screening and counseling services and new prescription drugs for chronic weight management.

Specifically, the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act gives the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) the authority to enhance beneficiary access to intensive behavioral counseling services for obesity by allowing additional types of health care providers to offer these services. In addition, the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act allows CMS to provide coverage of prescription drugs under Medicare Part D for chronic weight management to individuals who are affected by obesity.

Science-based literature clearly demonstrate that people affected by obesity can substantially improve their health and quality of life when they have access to a continuum of medically necessary treatment - including behavioral, nutritional, pharmaceutical, psychosocial and surgical treatment. Even a 5-10 percent weight loss produces clinically significant reductions in risk factors for chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, heart disease, mental illness, lipid disorders, pulmonary disease (obstructive sleep apnea and restrictive lung disease) and certain cancers.

Please support the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act today by becoming a cosponsor.

A Glance at Obesity in America

What is the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act and Why is it Important?

Specifically, TROA will:

Supporting Resources:

We Need YOUR Voice to Pass the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act through Congress!

How You Can Do it:

Help Improve Access to Obesity Care!

Sorry, we're not targeting any representatives in your district.

Thank You for your support of the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act!