Chronic diseases are ongoing, generally incurable illnesses or conditions, such as heart disease, asthma, cancer, and diabetes. And in the United States, we have a growing problem with them.

Chronic diseases are the leading cause of death and disability in the US. It is estimated by 2025, nearly half of all Americans will struggle with a chronic disease.

In addition to the impact that these diseases have on quality of life and life expectancy itself, they also take a toll financially. Treatment for chronic disease accounts for the majority of health spending, resulting in:

81% of hospital admissions

91% of all prescriptions filled

76% of all physician visits

All told, the result of those numbers is that 99% of Medicare spending and 83% of Medicaid spending is for the treatment of chronic diseases.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that chronic diseases are often preventable or manageable through healthy lifestyle changes. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that eliminating three risk factors – poor diet, inactivity, and smoking – would prevent 80% of heart disease and stroke; 80% of type 2 diabetes; and 40% of cancer.

Considering that obesity is a symptom of two of the three risk factors, an obvious question to raise is: What can health plans do to fight obesity?

Obesity is a Growing Problem

In the US, more than one third of the population is obese. That includes childhood obesity, which has been steadily on the rise for the past few decades. The National Center for Health Statistics reports that the prevalence of childhood obesity has tripled since the 1970s.

This information is not a surprise to anyone in the health care industry, but it is nonetheless striking to be reminded of the gravity of the problem. Of course, the solution is not dependent on any single entity, but health plans are in a unique position to consider their role and influence as our country looks for solutions.

What can health plans do to fight obesity?

Educate Providers

  • Yes, providers record BMI information for their patients, but are they trained on how to prescribe physical activity and nutrition for members? Plans should consider how they can help providers prescribe behavior changes for their patients.
  • If your plan offers benefits like gym memberships or enrollment in weight loss programs, are your providers aware so they can refer their patients?

Support Members

  • Does your plan offer special benefits, like gym memberships, or enrollment in weight loss programs? How are you connecting with members to encourage their use of these benefits to improve their health?
  • What role does care management take in supporting members who are trying to lose weight?

Advocate

  • Consideringthemagnitude of obesity in the US, the solution will require a collaborative effort. What role should health plans take in raising awareness of the problem with other stakeholders in the community?
  • What partnerships would help in this effort? Think about how the plan can work alongside parks, universities, K-12 schools, restaurants, community centers, etc. to fight obesity.

Obesity is a daunting problem, but the promising result – better overall health, including a reduction in chronic disease – is worth the fight.