Obesity Groups Request Support for Treat and Reduce Obesity Act

Upon his return from the recent American Medical Association (AMA) interim meeting, Dr. Ethan Lazarus wrote a letter to Dr. James Madara, CEO and executive vice president of AMA, requesting that AMA take part in actively lobbying for the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act. The American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, Endocrine Society, Obesity Action Coalition, and Obesity Society also signed on to the letter.

The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act currently has co-sponsors in the House and Senate but requires more support in order to be introduced and passed. The bill would expand the list of health care professionals who can provide intensive behavioral treatment for obesity under Medicare and eliminate the prohibition on anti-obesity medications under Medicare Part D. Dr. Lazarus, who is the secretary/treasurer of OMA and the AMA House of Delegates representative for OMA, sent the letter to the AMA on Monday, Dec. 7.

View the letter to Dr. James Madara.