Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Weight Loss Surgery Bill Passes in New Hampshire

After receiving gastric bypass weight loss surgery at his own expense, New Hampshire state Senator Bob Clegg lost over one hundred pounds. Such a substantial improvement in BMI could easily save the Senator's life and allow him to enjoy many more healthy years than he otherwise would have as a morbidly obese man.

Senator Clegg became upset that this surgery was not available through New Hampshire insurance plans, meaning that the surgery which had saved his own life would not be available to the common worker who would have to pay out of pocket for the delicate and expensive weight loss surgery. In response, he sponsored a bill mandating that insurance companies providing services to New Hampshire residents provide coverage for bariatric surgeries as an option to patients suffering from a number of obesity-related diseases.

Today New Hampshire Governor John Lynch signed that bill into law, ensuring access to weight loss surgeries for all insured New Hampshire residents. The insurance companies warned that premiums would increase due to the increased cost of providing the surgeries. However, their stance neglects to take into account the overall cost savings that reductions in obesity can potentially introduce into the New Hampshire health care system.

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