Prepared by Christopher Gallagher, OCC Washington Representative

On Thursday, February 28, 2019, the Obesity Care Advocacy Network (OCAN) will host an Advocacy Day to encourage support for the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA), which will be reintroduced earlier that week. Attendees will meet with Capitol Hill staff between 9:00 AM and 3:30 PM and also have the opportunity to participate in a late afternoon Political Action Committee (PAC) reception to honor a Senator or…

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In this issue: 2018 Election Results: Democrats To Control House, OAC Gives Keynote Speech at NLGA Business Meeting, STOP Obesity Alliance Researchers Publish Updated Findings on Obesity Coverage in Medicaid and State Employee Plans, New Guidance Could Further Erode ACA Patient Protections, Update on the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act, and, CMS Delays Controversial Medicare Payment Changes.

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Prepared by Christopher Gallagher, ASMBS Washington Representative

On September 27, 2018, more than 60 obesity advocates descended on Capitol Hill as part of the Obesity Care Advocacy Network’s (OCAN) Fall Advocacy Day. The Obesity Medicine Association (OMA) served as the host organization for the Day on the Hill as OMA provided the majority of advocates who were already in Washington, DC for the association’s Overcoming Obesity 2018 Conference.

In total, OCAN advocates visited 55 Senate…

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Prepared by Christopher Gallagher, ASMBS Washington Representative

On June 12, 2018, the American Medical Association’s (AMA) House of Delegates (HOD) approved a resolution drafted by the Obesity Medicine Association (OMA), entitled “Removing Barriers to Obesity Treatment.” The OMA succeeded in their efforts because OMA delegates Dr. Ethan Lazarus and Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford lined up a number of supporting groups, including the Colorado delegation, the Minority Affairs Section, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, American…

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Prepared by Christopher Gallagher, ASMBS Washington Representative

At the time of this report, the Obesity Medicine Association (OMA) was aggressively campaigning to secure support and passage for Resolution 201 (A-18), entitled “Removing Barriers to Obesity Treatment.” To date, the OMA has lined up a number of supporting groups, including the Colorado delegation, the Minority Affairs Section, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, the Endocrine Society, American College of…

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Prepared by Christopher Gallagher, ASMBS Washington Representative

On April 23, the Obesity Care Advocacy Network (OCAN) submitted comments in response to the February 21, 2018 proposed regulations that the Trump Administration released regarding short-term, limited-duration health insurance plans.

According to the proposed regulations, the rule would amend the definition of short-term, limited-duration insurance to include those offering a maximum coverage period of less than 12 months and that “this action is being taken to lengthen…

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Prepared by Christopher Gallagher, ASMBS Washington Representative

On March 19, 2018, fifteen members groups of the Obesity Care Advocacy Network (OCAN) submitted a joint comment letter to the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) regarding the Task Force’s February 20th draft recommendation statement on “Behavioral Weight Loss Interventions to Prevent Obesity-Related Morbidity and Mortality in Adults.”

Citing the critical need for a multidisciplinary treatment approach to obesity following diagnosis, OCAN urged the USPSTF to…

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Prepared by Christopher Gallagher, ASMBS Washington Representative

Obesity Care Advocacy Network (OCAN) leaders decided during their December face-to-face meeting that Tuesday, February 27, 2018 will be the date for OCAN’s second annual Advocacy Day. More than 120 OCAN members participated in the February 2017 Advocacy Day — visiting 150 congressional offices to encourage support for the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA). To date, 143 members of Congress are supporting TROA.

Next year’s OCAN Advocacy…

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Prepared by Christopher Gallagher, ASMBS Washington Representative

From Monday – Friday, October 30 – November 3, 2017, Obesity Care Advocacy Network (OCAN) advocates took to Capitol Hill to educate Congress about the goals of National Obesity Care Week (NOCW). That we as a country must change the way we care about obesity by elevating societal awareness of the disease of obesity, those affected by it, its science-based treatments and weight bias. These efforts pushed the…

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Prepared by Christopher Gallagher, ASMBS Washington Representative

On Friday, Oct. 23, the United States Department of Labor (DOL) issued a FAQ, which advises against coverage exclusions for weight management as part of the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. The effort is a win for obesity treatment coverage, resulting from efforts by the Obesity Care Continuum and our partners.

The question related to weight management is as follows:

Q6: My non-grandfathered group health plan…

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