American Obesity Association Calls on Florida Blue Cross and Blue Shield to Save Lives

Ft. Lauderdale, FL, August 24, 2004 — Speaking at Holy Cross Hospital in Ft. Lauderdale, American Obesity Association (AOA) Executive Director Morgan Downey called upon Florida Blue Cross and Blue Shield to reverse its decision to no longer cover bariatric surgery.

Bariatric surgery is a well-established method of long-term weight control typically performed on persons with morbid obesity, who have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or more, which is approximately 100 pounds overweight. Individuals who are approaching morbid obesity, with a BMI of 35 to 39.9, and have serious medical conditions (such as high blood cholesterol and triglycerides, hypertension, sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes and other serious cardiopulmonary disorders) may also qualify.

The most effective treatment for morbid obesity at present is bariatric surgery, because it results in significant weight loss and health improvements. The surgery does carry risks of complications and even death. The benefits of the surgery are typically viewed to outweigh the risks, particularly with involvement by a comprehensive bariatric program.

Bariatric surgery, previously a benefit offered to Florida Blue Cross and Blue Shield customers, will no longer be covered beyond January 1, 2005. The insurance giantıs decision will leave hundreds of thousands of eligible patients vulnerable to the damaging health effects of morbid obesity, which are known to be curbed by bariatric surgery.

"Bariatric surgery," said Mr. Downey, "is one of the most powerful interventions in all of modern medicine. The action of Florida Blue Cross and Blue Shield to eliminate coverage of this procedure is unconscionable, and will cause countless avoidable deaths, disease, and disability especially among women and minority groups who have the highest rates of obesity."

Mr. Downeyıs presentation to patients who attended a bariatric information session at Holy Cross Hospital is part of the OPERATE program, an AOA project created to promote access to treatment by persons with morbid obesity and to reverse Florida Blue Cross and Blue Shieldıs decision. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 57% of Florida adults are overweight or obese.

Mr. Downey urged the patients to write and educate their governor and legislators on the facts about bariatric surgery. "The great weight of scientific consensus on bariatric surgery," said Mr. Downey, "is that it is highly successful in extending life, resolving several long term chronic diseases and improving quality of life."

In his remarks, Mr. Downey cited a recently published study from Canada which showed that persons with morbid obesity who had the surgery had a nearly 90% better survival rate after five years than persons of similar weight who did not have the surgery. In addition, surgery patients had significant risk reductions for developing cardiovascular disease, cancer, endocrine, infectious, psychiatric and mental disorders compared with the non-surgical patients.

The study, "Surgery Decreases Long-Term Mortality, Morbidity, and Health Care Use in Morbidly Obese Patients" by Nicolas V. Christou et. al., appears in the September 2004 issue of the Annals of Surgery.

The AOA is a national, non-profit advocacy and educational organization based in Washington, DC. Founded in 1995, the AOA's mission is to promote the recognition of obesity as a disease, to educate the public about the health risks of obesity, advocate for greater research on obesity and coverage by managed care organizations for obesity treatment and prevention.

OPERATE is a coalition of health professionals, businesses, hospitals and people with a shared commitment to set the record straight on the benefits as well as risk of bariatric surgery, encourage employers, insurers and the state government to keep coverage of this important service. For more information about OPERATE, click here.