Americans Now Have An Obesity Bill of Rights

Action Alert:

Congress Could Make Coverage for Obesity Treatments a Right for Older Adults on Medicare.

The National Consumers League and National Council on Aging worked with health leaders and obesity specialists to establish a set of rights so people with obesity will be screened, diagnosed, counseled and effectively treated for their overweight and obesity based on medical treatment guidelines.

Our Purpose

Join the Movement

For too long, people with obesity have been discriminated against, not treated with respect by their health providers, and have faced significant hurdles to receive obesity care. This is the reason there is an Obesity Bill of Rights so all Americans seeking care will be diagnosed and treated for their obesity regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity, and weight status.

But putting the Obesity Bill of Rights into practice necessitates widespread support for meaningful change. And this is where Right2ObesityCare enters the picture. A new social activation effort headed by the National Consumers League and the National Council on Aging, Right2ObesityCare will drive adoption of the Obesity Bill of Rights in communities across the country by tapping the energy of people with obesity, caregivers, health professionals, community leaders, employers, and obesity and chronic disease organizations to demand better obesity care and call for the removal of regulatory and insurance obstacles that keep many people with obesity from getting the treatments prescribed by their health providers.

You can join with individual citizens and almost 60 national organizations in championing the Obesity Bill of Rights by joining the Right2ObesityCare movement. Here is how you can get involved:

Take Action Now

Endorsing Organizations

The Obesity Bill of Rights

The Obesity Bill of Rights envisions a future where more than 100 million adults in the US will lead healthier lives because they have these eight essential rights to be diagnosed, counseled, and treated for their obesity according to medical guidelines.

1. The Right to Accurate, Clear, Trusted, and Accessible Information

This allows everyone to obtain objective, science-based information about obesity as a treatable chronic disease.

2. The Right to Respect

This means all members of the care team must treat people with obesity in a considerate and respectful manner.

3. The Right to Make Treatment Decisions

This gives each person the right to consult with his/her health provider and decide on the best course of treatment.

4. The Right to Treatment from Qualified Health Providers

This gives people the right to treatment by health providers who have expertise in obesity care.

5. The Right to Person-Centered Care

This establishes the right to get obesity care that is personalized, reflects the person’s health goals, and is not based only on one’s weight status.

6. The Right to Accessible Obesity Treatment from Health Systems

This right ensures people of a large size get respectful care in clinical settings using size/weight accessible garments and equipment.

7. The Right for Older Adults to Receive Quality Obesity Care

This gives people over age 60 the right to receive obesity care that reflects their different physiology and medical needs.

8. The Right to Coverage for Treatment

This ensures people with obesity have access to the full range of treatment options through health insurance that is widely available and affordable.

Bill of Rights Explained

Read the Bill of Rights

Why Now?

Obesity is a treatable chronic disease, just like diabetes and heart disease. Yet despite significant advances in the science of obesity and effective treatment options, only 10% of people with obesity get help from medical professionals and as few as 2% are treated with new anti-obesity medications.

The new Obesity Bill of Rights will ensure that Americans living with obesity have the same respect, attention, and medical care for their disease as those with other chronic conditions.

Comparing Obesity to Other Top Chronic Diseases

THE TOLL

100,000+ Million

U.S. adults have obesity

230

Chronic diseases are worsened by living with obesity

THE COST

$172,000,000,000

Annual medical costs for obesity

400,000

Premature deaths per year

Why Treatment Matters

Take Action

The purpose of the first-ever the Obesity Bill of Rights is to give the public the power to fight for better care for Americans with obesity. There are many ways to get involved as an individual to educate, support, and advocate for individuals affected by obesity:

Start with Your Own Obesity Care Coverage

One of the best ways to advocate for better obesity care is to review your health insurance plan. The Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) has detailed information on what to look for and what to do if your plan restricts or excludes obesity treatment. Don’t throw up your hands because there are steps you can take.

Here is the link for more details: https://www.obesityaction.org/action-center/how-to-review-your-health-insurance

Tell Congress to Expand Medicare to Cover Obesity Care

It is hard to believe but right now, Medicare does not cover all obesity treatments, which makes quality care unaffordable for many older adults. Bipartisan legislation called the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA) is being considered in both the House of Representatives and the Senate to address inequality in obesity care for Medicare beneficiaries and to reduce stigma and weight bias in the US. You can lend your voice to passage of this legislation by sending a letter to your Congressman and Senators.

Here is the link to find out how: https://act.ncoa.org/a/troa

Take a Stand at the State Level

In many states, lawmakers are considering legislation or regulations that would expand obesity care for state workers or adult residents and/or protect people with overweight or obesity from weight-based discrimination, bias and stigma. More information on how you can help is available from the Obesity Action Coalition.

Here is the link to get involved: https://www.obesityaction.org/action-center/state-advocacy-action

We want to hear from you!

Share your story and/or give us ideas for ways the Obesity Bill of Rights can be a catalyst to improve quality obesity care by reaching out to the National Consumers League.