This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Public divided about insurance coverage for obese adolescents
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Obesity 2011
When it comes to obesity treatment for adolescents, the public appears to favor insurance coverage for traditional health care services and prefers that bariatric surgery be covered by private insurance but not Medicaid, survey results suggest.
Although childhood obesity is a major health concern that has received a great deal of attention, insurance generally does not cover treatment. However, research into how the public feels about coverage for various weight management therapies in this age group is lacking. Therefore, earlier this year, researchers polled a nationally representative sample of the US population via a Web-based survey about whether insurance should pay for different types of obesity treatments for adolescents.
Of the 2,150 respondents, most supported insurance coverage for conventional health care services, with 84% endorsing coverage for visits to dietitians and 86% approving of coverage for mental health visits. A smaller majority supported coverage for group programs (60%), such as Weight Watchers, and exercise programs (65%). When asked whether private insurance and Medicaid should cover bariatric surgery, 81% favored coverage by private insurance compared with only 55% who endorsed coverage by Medicaid. The researchers said more respondents with annual incomes of less than $30,000 approved of coverage by Medicaid compared with those with annual incomes of at least $100,000 (71.4% vs. 36%; P<.005).
"Public opinion may be a harbinger of future coverage decisions," the researchers wrote. "If these preferences were enacted, low-income adolescents (who are disproportionately affected by obesity) would experience even greater disparities in access to weight management services, including bariatric surgery."
For more information:
- Woolford SJ. 354-P. Presented at: the 29th Annual Meeting of the Obesity Society; Oct. 1-5, 2011; Orlando, Fla.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
 |
Follow EndocrineToday.com on Twitter. |