Obesity is so common in the United States that nearly half (4 in 10) American adults live with the disease, which carries serious medical risks and can cause premature deaths.
Many people living with obesity
Facing discrimination or mistreatment in the workplace.
Barriers can help reduce stigma, improve work environments for people with obesity, and ensure that employee benefits cover medically necessary programs and treatments. Covering obesity treatments not only improves employee health and well-being, it can also reduce the company’s healthcare costs.
Employees can also play an important role in advocating for their right to have their needs met and to work that operates based on justice, compassion and respect.
Here you will find how to address obesity and its corresponding health insurance coverage in the workplace.
Employers:
How to talk about obesity
-
Gave
: People living with obesity -
Do not tell
: Obese, fat or overweight people.
How to think about obesity
-
Recognize
that obesity is a disease, not a personal failure or a lifestyle. -
No
assume that workers living with obesity lack motivation or professionalism. -
Recognize
that, for some people, diet and exercise are not enough to lose weight. Medications or surgeries may be needed.
How to communicate with employees living with obesity
-
Behave
with respect, compassion and sincerity. -
No
ignores other people’s concerns. -
No
Don’t judge or make fun of other people’s appearance or experiences.
What you can do to support people living with obesity
-
No
Let employees determine benefits on their own. -
Learn
information on the company’s coverage for the treatment of obesity. -
Promote
Benefits that provide support to people living with obesity:-
Anti-obesity medications
-
Diet and nutritional programs
-
Weight loss surgeries
-
Prescription digital therapies
-
Obesity specialists
-
exercise programs
-
Mental health professionals, nutritionists and dieticians.
-
-
No
you do it alone. Take advantage of resources to attend to:
Employees:
How to promote medical benefits not covered by insurance
-
Tell your employers what coverage would be helpful for you to manage your illness:
-
Anti-obesity medications
-
Surgeries
-
Programs or interventions
-
Specialists in obesity care
-
Read: Dear Employers: How to Apply for Obesity Care Coverage >>
-
Calculate your costs without later reimbursement. Tell your employers what the gaps in your health insurance benefits are and what they cost you.
-
Share recommendations from healthcare providers for treatments and programs and ask your employers to add them to everyone’s benefits package.
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Find more information you can use to promote obesity care coverage:
This educational resource was prepared with the support of Eli Lilly and Co.
company.
