NEW: USPSTF Recommends Obesity Treatment for Heart Risk

The USPSTF (Unites States Preventative Services Task Force) has published yet another recommendation for obesity treatment — in draft form. The recommendation is behavioral counseling for people with heart disease risk and excess weight or obesity.

Dietitians and other weight management professionals, take note. This will create yet more opportunities to help people with excess weight and obesity. The review of the evidence states:

Interventions were delivered by specially trained individuals including dietitians or nutritionists, physiotherapists or exercise professionals, health educators, psychologists, and other trained professionals.

 This development is important because, under the ACA, health plans have to cover services with a USPSTF “B” rating — which this recommendation has. And they have to cover it with no copay for patients.

This opportunity doesn’t mean that coverage dollars will just start falling from the sky. Health plans will sharpen their pencils and find the cheapest way possible to deliver this service.

But it’s undeniable good news. It’s one more step in the direction of better access to evidence-based obesity treatment.

Click here to read more in MedPage Today and here to read the draft recommendation.

Play with Food, photograph © Marco Bernardini / flickr

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