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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GAINESVILLE, Fla., Oct. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Representatives from 35 major health and medical organizations including the American Diabetes Association (ADA), American Medical Association (AMA), American Heart Association (AHA), American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), and American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) convened for a second annual summit in Chicago to identify opportunities for collaboration in treating obesity. “The National Obesity Summit on the Provision of Care for the Obese Patient” was hosted by the…

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Prepared by Christopher Gallagher, ASMBS Washington Representative

During August, ASMBS President-Elect Dr. Raul Rosenthal joined with other leaders from the obesity community in meeting with Debra Eschmeyer, Executive Director of the Let’s Move campaign and Senior Policy Advisor for Nutrition in the Office of the First Lady. Other obesity advocates included OAC Board Chair Ted Kyle and OAC President Joe Nadglowski, TOS President Penny Gordon Larsen and TOS Executive Director Francesca Dea and AND Vice…

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GAINESVILLE, FL – Aug. 12, 2015 – Time is running out for members of the public to submit short films or videos about obesity, the nation’s number one public health threat. The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) is sponsoring “It Starts Now,” a national contest that will award winners up to $5,000 and a trip to Los Angeles, where winning entries will premiere during ObesityWeek 2015.

Entries must be received by…

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Prepared by Christopher Gallagher, ASMBS Washington Representative

OCC groups continue to lobby on behalf of the the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2015 (S.1509/HR 2404). At the time of this report, the legislation had surpassed a major milestone on the House side as now more than 100 House members have cosponsored the bill. There are currently 10 cosponsors on the Senate side.

Sponsors of the legislation are currently drafting a letter to the Congressional…

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FDA Approval of ORBERA™ Intragastric Balloon Offers New Weight Loss Option for Patients with Obesity

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved the ORBERA™ Intragastric Balloon, a new non-surgical intervention for the treatment of obesity. The device, which is approved for use in patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 to 40, was shown in a clinical trial to be more effective for weight loss than diet and exercise alone. The…

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AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR METABOLIC AND BARIATRIC SURGERY VIEWS NEW BALLOON DEVICE FOR OBESITY AS BRIDGE BETWEEN MEDICATIONS AND BARIATRIC SURGERY

GAINESVILLE, FL – July 29, 2015 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday approved a new balloon device called the ReShape Integrated Dual Balloon System, that may help fill a treatment gap between medications and surgery for people with obesity and one or more obesity-related conditions, according to the American Society for…

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Prepared by Christopher Gallagher, ASMBS Washington Representative

On June 22, 2015, the Obesity Care Continuum provided comments in response to the May 22, 2015 Senate Finance Committee Chronic Disease Working Group letter to Stakeholders requesting feedback on possible solutions to improve outcomes for Medicare patients requiring chronic care.

On June 19, 2015, the OCC submitted comments in response to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) proposed rule regarding amendments to regulations governing employer wellness programs…

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Dear Friends and Colleagues,

The last few weeks have been exciting and fruitful times for ASMBS.

1. OBESITY WEEK-END & OBESITYWEEK LA I want to thank everyone who attended our Obesity Week-End 2015 in Las Vegas, June 25-27. This was our most successful interim annual meeting to date with over 550 attendees. For the future, this meeting will be devoted to practical, clinically-oriented courses in an intimate setting allowing for easy interaction between attendees and…

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Dear Friends,

I hope this letter finds you well. I would like to update you on a few ASMBS initiatives. As we all know, bariatric surgery is safe and effective and we have as a major societal goal to increase access, awareness and education regarding this life-saving intervention. Please read this message regarding our efforts and also complete this attached survey. The survey can help provide guidance for the society as we move forward…

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