Potomac Current
HEADLINES Obesity Community leaders to Participate in PCORI Workgroup on Obesity Treatment Obesity Advocates Follow-up with HHS/CCIIO regarding EHB Final Rule Bruce Wolfe, MD, Selected for MEDCAC State News: MA and GA Advocacy Efforts Editor: Christopher Gallagher, Director of ASMBS Washington Office March, 2013, Volume 3, Issue 4 Download PDF Obesity Community leaders to Participate in PCORI Workgroup on Obesity Treatment On April 16, 2013, there will be strong representation from the obesity community on special Workgroup on Obesity Treatment Options in Diverse Populations, which is being sponsored by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. PCORI s authorized by Congress to conduct...
HEADLINES HHS Releases Final Rule on Exchanges and Essential Health Benefits & OPM Releases Final Rule on Multi-State Plans… Bottom Line…Obesity Treatment Services Largely Ignored! Editor: Christopher Gallagher, Director of ASMBS Washington Office March, 2013, Volume 3, Issue 3 Download PDF Obama Administration Fails to Respond to Obesity Community’s Call for Coverage of Obesity Treatments Services in State Exchange or Multi-State Health Plans On March 1, 2013, the Obama Administration released final regulations governing state health exchanges and guidelines for state essential health benefit (EHB) benchmark plans as well as final regulations for Multi-State Plans (MSP). The former were issued by the Department of Health...
HEADLINES Obesity Community Responds to Proposed Regulations on Multi-State Plans & Employer Wellness Programs Obesity Community Submits Candidates for PCORI Advisory Panels Download PDF Editor: Christopher Gallagher, Director of ASMBS Washington Office February, 2013 Obesity Community Comments on Multi-State Plan Regulations On January 4, 2013, the leading groups from the obesity community (ASMBS, ASBP, AND, OAC and TOS) submitted a joint comment letter regarding the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) December 5, 2012 proposed regulations on “Establishment of Multi-State Plan Program for Affordable Insurance Exchanges.” In the letter, the obesity community expressed support for issuers of multi-state plans to adopt...
HEADLINES Obesity Community Responds to Proposed Regulations on EHB Coverage of Obesity Treatment Services Obesity Community Meets with Office of Health Reform Editor: Christopher Gallagher, Director of ASMBS Washington Office December, 2012 Download PDF Coalition of Patient/Healthcare Provider Groups Comment on HHS Proposed Regulations on Essential Health Benefits On December 24, 2012, a coalition of 10 patient and healthcare provider groups came together in submitting a joint comment letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in response to the Department’s proposed regulations regarding state health exchanges and additional details regarding essential health benefit (EHB) requirements. The coalition (American Society...
HEADLINES Feds Issue Bevy of ACA Regulations on: Essential Health Benefits Employer Wellness Programs Multi-State Health Plans Obesity Community Participates in EEOC Meeting on Employer Wellness Programs Editor: Christopher Gallagher, Director of ASMBS Washington Office December, 2012 Download PDF Feds Issue Bevy of ACA Regulations HHS Issues Proposed Regulations on Essential Health Benefits and Employer Wellness Programs On November 20, 2012, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released proposed regulations for public comment regarding state health exchanges and additional details regarding essential health benefit (EHB) requirements. In addition, HHS also issued a proposed rule surrounding criteria for employer wellness programs. In reviewing the...
HEADLINES Obesity Community Participates in White House Meeting on Employer Wellness Programs Obesity Community Comes Together at OAC Inaugural Convention Obesity Community Groups Sign on Coalition Letter to FDA Download PDF Editor: Christopher Gallagher, Director of ASMBS Washington Office November, 2012 Obesity Community Participates in White House Meeting on Employer Wellness Programs On October 31, 2012, representatives from the obesity community (TOS, OAC, ASBP and ASMBS) participated in a Families USA coordinated meeting with senior White House staff and leadership from the Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services (HHS) to discuss issues surrounding employer wellness incentive programs. Specifically, participating groups highlighted...
HEADLINES Federal Oversight of State EHB Benchmark Plan Submissions FDA Patient Centered Efforts Could Focus on ObesitY OCC Promotes MHA-Sponsored Hill Briefing on Mental Health and Obesity Download PDF Editor: Christopher Gallagher, Director of ASMBS Washington Office October, 2012 Obesity Community Urges Federal Oversight of State EHB Benchmark Plan Submissions During early October, ASMBS joined with other leading groups from the obesity community in sending a strong letter to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius — urging HHS to carefully review each state’s selected benchmark plan to ensure that the product covers all medically necessary obesity...
HEADLINES States Accelerate Action on EHB Plan Selection FDA Approves Second Obesity Drug Download PDF Editor: Christopher Gallagher, Director of ASMBS Washington Office August, 2012 States Accelerate Action On EHB Plan Selection In the wake of the recent Supreme Court Decision upholding the Affordable Care Act (ACA), numerous states are feverishly working to establish their health exchange plans. Part of this process entails selecting a state benchmark plan to satisfy the ACA’s essential health benefits (EHB) requirements — a critical decision point in determining whether obesity treatment services will be covered by the exchange plans. ASMBS and its state chapters will be weighing in...
HEADLINES CMS Changes Course on Sleeve NCD SCOTUS Upholds Affordable Care Act FDA Approves Obesity Drug Wolfe Works to Preserve Bariatric Surgery Benefit during Oregon State Exchange Debate Download PDF Editor: Christopher Gallagher, Director of ASMBS Washington Office July, 2012 CMS Changes Course on Sleeve NCD On June 27, 2012, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized a Medicare National Coverage Decision regarding Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy (LSG). While CMS has issued a “National” Coverage Decision on LSG, the agency has basically punted the decision to cover LSG to the local level by stating that “Medicare Administrative Contractors acting within their respective...
Bariatric Movies and Images
A new digital educational resource for ASMBS members
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ED Poster
Specifically designed poster for use in the care of the Bariatric Surgery Patient. Learn More
SOARD
The official journal of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
