The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls obesity “a serious, widespread, and costly chronic disease.”
Covering the cost of treating a serious illness with an FDA-approved drug should not be optional for insurance companies.
Obesity is a disease that affects far more than just a person’s weight. In the United States, obesity affects two in five adults and caused nearly $173 billion in medical expenses in 2019.
In 2022, the CDC reported that all U.S. states and territories had an obesity prevalence of over 20%. Unfortunately, West Virginia was one of three states in the country where obesity prevalence was 40% or more, with West Virginia having the highest adult obesity rate in the U.S.
This condition puts patients at risk for numerous other serious health problems, including heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, some cancers, osteoarthritis, liver disease, depression and gout.
Many of these diseases are among the top 10 causes of death in the United States, according to the CDC. Treating obesity before a patient develops any of the associated diseases can save lives.
Taking the drug will ultimately reduce healthcare spending not only related to obesity, but also related to the diverse group of diseases and health complications associated with obesity.
Currently, many insurance plans only cover these drugs if a patient develops type 2 diabetes. Doctors only have a chance of preventing type 2 diabetes if they use these drugs according to their FDA approval.
Changes in a patient’s lifestyle through dietary changes and increased exercise are supportive therapies that should be included in the treatment plan for many diseases. During check-ups, proper nutrition and exercise routines should also be discussed to prevent disease.
The right medications are also essential for treating disease and preventing further complications. Obesity should be no exception. These medications are not appropriate for every obese person, but whether they should be included in a treatment plan should be determined in shared medical decision-making between the doctor and patient, not by an insurance company.
– Lauren Miller, DO, Director of Faculty Affairs, Clinical Sciences – WVSOM
