Cataract surgery accounts for nearly 60 percent of vision-related Medicare expenditures, but a healthy diet can reduce the risk of cataracts for women, a new study shows. Read the full story

Obesity and related health conditions, including diabetes, may soon bankrupt America’s Medicare system, experts say.  The number of diabetics is expected to nearly double in the next 25 years. Read the full story

In this week’s episode of WLS News we’ll look at how some obesity studies may not be totally fair and balanced. Also, we’ll see a troubling connection between the obesity-forming habits of pet owners and their pets – and the health problems both can have in common. And we’ll find out just how quickly the American obesity saga may bankrupt Medicare in the coming years. Read the full story

A new study finds that patients who rely on Medicare to pay for their weight loss surgery lose less weight afterward than patients with private health insurance. Read the full story

In New Mexico, 17% of children between ages 6 and 11 suffer from childhood obesity. In response, U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman has reintroduced a bill aimed at fighting obesity among children and adolescents in New Mexico and beyond. Read the full story

Medicare May Cover Weight Loss Surgery for Diabetes Patients

Good news from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which last week announced a clarification in its policy for Medicare coverage of bariatric surgery as a treatment for people with Type 2 Diabetes.

CMS will now consider Type 2 Diabetes as one of the co-morbidities used to determine whether bariatric surgery will be covered by the program – the stipulation being that the beneficiary must be morbidly obese, with a BMI of at least 35. Bariatric surgery will NOT be covered by Medicare when it is used to treat Type 2 Diabetes in a beneficiary with a BMI below 35.

This marks the first major policy change since 2006, when CMS expanded coverage of weight loss surgery for Medicare beneficiaries who exhibited a serious health condition in addition to morbid obesity, including high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, or osteoarthritis.

Get the latest updates on research related to the treatment of obesity and related co-morbidities, lifestyle tips for staying healthy post-op, and human interest stories that are sure to move you, each week on WLS News!

In the February 20, 2009, newscast, we’ll give you the latest on the federal government’s new Medicare policy regarding weight loss surgery for Type 2 Diabetes, explore how bariatric surgery can decrease the risk of certain cancers in women, and take a look at some promising findings on the development of an obesity drug.

We’ll also give you the facts about tummy tucks, uncover the relationship between obesity and incontinence, and check in with WLS Journeys host Yvonne McCarthy as she talks about one of her favorite WLS websites!

Organizations mentioned in this week’s news:

• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
• Society for Gynecologic Oncologists
• University of Virginia Medical School
• Virginia State Cancer Registry
• Dr. Bill Adams (Plastic Surgeon)
• Obesity Action Coalition
• Lap-Band King (WLS video blog of Marcus Cook)
• Bariatric Girl (Yvonne McCarthy’s WLS support site)
• University of North Carolina School of Medicine
• New England Journal of Medicine
• Bariatric Advantage (nutritional supplements)

Texas Taxpayers May Cover New Obesity Program

Texans don’t want to go through life fat, sick, and uninsured. But here in America, if you don’t have medical insurance – or a big pile of cash – you can pretty much forget weight loss surgery. Although Medicare will cover bariatric procedures in certain cases, patients who don’t meet Uncle Sam’s strict qualifications are out of luck.

But, all that may be changing for uninsured patients in Tarrant County, Texas – the county surrounding Fort Worth – who may soon have another option for weight loss surgery at the county hospital.

The low-cost and sometimes FREE services available at the taxpayer-supported hospitals and clinics of the Tarrant County Hospital District are often the only source of medical care for uninsured area residents.

But, these services are usually limited to treating injuries, chronic diseases, or maternity care. Now, the county health network is considering a proposal to offer comprehensive obesity treatment to selected patients who are members of the county’s low-cost health plan.

Initially, the treatment would consist of medical counseling on diet and nutrition; but going forward, doctors would identify lower risk patients to receive bariatric surgery.

Supporters of the proposal contend that spending local tax dollars to treat obesity up front will save JPS Health Network the cost of treating diabetes, heart and liver issues associated with obesity in the future. Of course, naysayers believe the proposal is little more than a taxpayer bailout of patients who fail to take personal responsibility for their eating habits.

But whether or not Texas taxpayers will foot the bill for the new obesity program will be determined by the District, whose decision is expected later this year.