government
Medicare has new obesity screening, counseling benefit
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Dec. 12, 2011
The Medicare program now will cover preventive screening and counseling for obesity, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced Nov. 29.
"This decision is an important step in aligning Medicare's portfolio of preventive services with evidence and addressing risk factors for disease," said CMS Chief Medical Officer Patrick Conway, MD.
The new screening service for eligible patients would be provided in the primary care setting, such as an internist's or family physician's office. For patients who test positive for obesity with a body mass index equal to or greater than 30 kg/m2, the benefit would include one counseling visit each week for one month and then a counseling session every other week for the next five months.
A Medicare beneficiary would be eligible for an additional six months of counseling if he or she has lost at least 6.6 lbs during the first six months of counseling. More than 30% of Medicare patients are believed to be obese, according to CMS.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2011/12/12/gvbf1212.htm.
