If you have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance)covers obesity screenings and behavioral counseling to help you lose weight by focusing on diet and exercise. Medicare covers this counseling if your primary care doctor or other qualified practitioner gives the counseling in a primary care setting (like a doctor’s office), where they can coordinate your personalized prevention plan with your other care.
As an example, if weight loss is necessary for treating diseases like diabetes, hypothyroidism, and cardiovascular disease (among others), Medicare will cover the costs.
In order to reduce complications, Medicare also pays if your doctor advises you to lose weight before surgery.
The type of services and programs that Medicare helps pay for are:
– Initial assessment of your eating and activity habits.
– Health counseling.
– Dieting and exercise education.
– Follow-up visits to monitor your diet and weight loss progress.
– Up to three hours of individual counseling services the first year, and two hours each year after that.