News USA – Obesity is a significant health problem, affecting 1 in 3 American women, including 57% of Black women, and 44% of Hispanic women. A chronic, treatable condition, obesity care is not covered by health insurance like other chronic conditions, such as heart disease or diabetes.

EveryBODY Covered, a campaign led by the Alliance for Women’s Health and Prevention (AWHP) in partnership with 15 other leading health organizations, wants to change this by reaching out to employers. Less than half of employers cover the latest generation of anti-obesity medications.

Dr. Eliza Chin, Executive Director of American Medical Women’s Association, says, “Obesity deserves the same level of coverage as any other chronic disease.” National Institutes of Health data shows that women with obesity are more likely to suffer from other chronic diseases, and are also more likely to face stigma in their professional and personal lives. Women affected by obesity also often earn 12% less than female peers not affected by obesity.

“Women’s health and obesity are linked,” says Millicent Gorham, CEO of AWHP, “If you care about maternal health, if you care about cancer prevention, if you care about heart disease, if you care about mental health — then you need to care about obesity.”

EveryBODY Covered empowers women to call for comprehensive obesity care coverage to ensure their access to a full range of treatment options, including counseling, behavior modification, physical activity, anti-obesity medications, surgery, and nutrition services across private and employer-sponsored health insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid. It also supports the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA), a bipartisan bill that would provide Medicare coverage of obesity care options. The campaign also hopes Medicaid will expand coverage of obesity care through state legislation. Learn more and get involved at everybodycovered.org.