Study Shows How Obesity Impacts Employer Healthcare Costs
UnitedHealthcare and the Health Action Council have examined how the obesity epidemic has impacted the healthcare costs of employers and how it will continue to do so in the future.
About 75% of adults in the U.S. are either overweight or obese, up from 50% in 1990. Obesity rates have grown fastest among younger adults. The obese population accounts for 46% of the employers’ medical spend. Per member per month costs for obese employees are more than double ($973) than those who were not obese ($421).
Metabolic conditions are common among people with obesity. For workers in their ’50s, diabetes rates are 2.5 times higher among obese individuals. Hypertension rates were three times higher. Those who were obese also had greater rates of behavioral health illnesses.
Study: https://healthactioncouncil.org/media/i5qj3qah/2025-hac-white-paper.pdf
#obesity #glp1s #weightlossdrugs #healthcare #chronicconditions #employercoverage
Trump To Defend Brainwood Using Biden Arguments
Sources say the Trump administration has concluded it will ask the Supreme Court to uphold the role of the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) in Braidwood v. Becerra. The case being reviewed by the high court could decide the fate of zero-cost-sharing preventive services under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
A federal district court struck down aspects of the no-cost preventive services after businesses argued that the USPSTF is not directly overseen by HHS and were not properly appointed, which violates the Constitution. The USPSTF is the body that recommends some of the sets of services to be covered for free. The Braidwood plaintiffs also raised religious objections to purchasing health insurance that includes some recommended preventive services.
A Circuit Court agreed in part with the federal district judge, leading to the appeal to the Supreme Court by the former Biden administration.
The decision is perplexing given the Trump administration’s views on the ACA and benefit mandates in the law, but if the rumors pan out they would be a victory for those backing preventive benefits.
(Article may require a subscription.)
#aca #obamacare #healthcare #preventivebenefits #coverage
https://insidehealthpolicy.com/daily-news/source-trump-doj-keep-biden-argument-braidwood-scotus-case
— Marc S. Ryan
