Arizona is in the midst of a public health crisis, with over two-thirds of our population classified as overweight or obese. In our Medicaid program alone, over one-third of beneficiaries have obesity. When so many Arizonans struggle to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, we see higher healthcare costs for everyone, thousands of premature deaths each year, reduced labor force participation, and reduced earnings for those who struggle with overweight or obesity.
Obesity’s health consequences can be devastating. Left untreated, obesity leads people to develop a range of other conditions such as prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Many of these conditions are chronic, requiring a person to need continuous care in order to manage the condition effectively and at considerable financial and familial costs.
Recognition 20 years ago that obesity is a chronic medical condition has brought medical breakthroughs in the last decade, including the development of obesity medications and less invasive surgical options. Fortunately, this has allowed some patients to achieve health outcomes that have eluded them for years. However, access to comprehensive treatment and preventative lifestyle change programs, like the National Diabetes Prevention Program, remain out of reach for millions across the state, so the health and economic burdens continue.
If we truly want to address the public health crisis facing Arizona, we need expanded coverage for obesity treatment – especially for low-income communities who are disproportionately affected.
The chief argument against coverage for comprehensive obesity treatment is always the same: it is too expensive and we simply cannot afford it. It is frustrating that obesity treatment is handled this way given that treatment for other serious diseases are never subject to the same talking points. We do not deny coverage for other chronic disease treatments because it would be inhumane to force patients to pay for them out of their own pockets. So why are we asking patients with obesity to do just that?
If the only interest is truly saving money, then decisionmakers should consider this: the cost of doing nothing to prevent, manage, and eliminate obesity is significantly higher than the cost of treating it. In Arizona, a recent study by Global Data found obesity led to $201 million in higher Medicaid spending and had a $1.1 billion detrimental impact to the state’s budget. It also led to $694 million in higher medical costs for Arizona households. These are unsustainable societal costs, and it is time we treat access to obesity treatment as the priority it should be.
Still, others will argue that obesity treatments like medications and surgery are a shortcut and that truly successful health outcomes can only be achieved through diet and exercise. The benefits of a healthy lifestyle cannot be understated, and no medical expert would advocate for simply taking a medication or undergoing a surgery without proper clinical education that empowers the patient to adjust unhealthy routines. That is why comprehensive treatments must be part of the equation.
I am pleased to see that most of our elected officials in the Arizona Legislature are recognizing the importance of addressing the obesity crisis facing our state. Senate Bill 1711, introduced by Senator Gowan, is a commonsense piece of legislation that would establish the Obesity Treatment Study Committee to examine the cost, efficacy, and value of extending Medicaid coverage to include comprehensive obesity treatment. The bill has received bipartisan support thus far, and it is my hope it will be enacted this session. I am confident a study committee will determine what steps are prudent to take in order for Arizona to address this critical issue.
I strongly believe that expanding coverage for comprehensive obesity treatment will result in better outcomes for patients and cost savings for the entire health care system. Healthier patients require fewer medical interventions, especially when conditions that create subsequent diseases and complications are treated early. But to make real, sustainable change, we need support from our elected officials who have the power to make those changes happen.
Julie Hoffman
Chair of Advocacy
American Diabetes Association, Desert Southwest
Arizona Diabetes Leadership Council
