06 LC 33
1177
House
Resolution 1159
By:
Representatives Henson of the
87th,
Benfield of the
85th,
Drenner of the
86th,
Manning of the
32nd,
Chambers of the
81st,
and others
A
RESOLUTION
Urging
and requesting the Department of Community Health, the Department of Human
Resources, and the Insurance Department to jointly undertake a study of health
insurance coverage for the treatment of obesity, including the compilation of
data on the treatment of severe or morbid obesity through bariatric
surgery.
WHEREAS,
obesity is the most significant nutritional disorder affecting health in the
industrialized world; and
WHEREAS,
obesity is a serious medical problem affecting up to one-third of all Americans;
and
WHEREAS,
a 1997 Kaiser Permanente study concluded that there is a significant potential
for a reduction in health care expenditures through obesity prevention;
and
WHEREAS,
obesity is known to cause or exacerbate a number of serious disorders, including
hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory
dysfunction, gout, and osteoarthritis; and
WHEREAS,
nearly 80 percent of patients with diabetes mellitus are obese; and
WHEREAS,
nearly 70 percent of diagnosed cases of cardiovascular disease are related to
obesity; and
WHEREAS,
obesity ranks second only to smoking as a preventable cause of death, with
300,000 deaths annually attributable to obesity; and
WHEREAS,
education, prevention, and proper treatment of obesity can reduce health care
costs and improve the quality of life for a significant number of adults and
children in Georgia and across the United
States.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
we do hereby urge and request the Department of Human Resources, Department of Community Health, and the Insurance Department to jointly collect data on individual cases of obesity in order to evaluate whether health insurance coverage for the treatment of obesity should be covered in this state. This analysis shall include a comprehensive study and recommendation as to the advisability of health insurance coverage of medically necessary bariatric surgery for treatment of clinically severe obesity as a cost effective alternative to long-term treatment of the condition. This analysis shall include a comprehensive study of the treatment of cases of severe or morbid obesity in Georgia. The departments are urged and requested to complete this joint study and make recommendations, including necessary legislation, to the General Assembly on or before January 1, 2007, to aid in the prevention and treatment of obesity and ways to decrease the number of cases of obesity in the state.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
we do hereby urge and request the Department of Human Resources, Department of Community Health, and the Insurance Department to jointly collect data on individual cases of obesity in order to evaluate whether health insurance coverage for the treatment of obesity should be covered in this state. This analysis shall include a comprehensive study and recommendation as to the advisability of health insurance coverage of medically necessary bariatric surgery for treatment of clinically severe obesity as a cost effective alternative to long-term treatment of the condition. This analysis shall include a comprehensive study of the treatment of cases of severe or morbid obesity in Georgia. The departments are urged and requested to complete this joint study and make recommendations, including necessary legislation, to the General Assembly on or before January 1, 2007, to aid in the prevention and treatment of obesity and ways to decrease the number of cases of obesity in the state.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to the
commissioners of the Department of Human Resources, Department of Community
Health, and the Insurance Department.