State-based Policy Opportunities to Ensure Payment for Obesity Monitoring and Counseling Services

Payment

Action steps to increase payment in the state include:

Advocate for appropriate payment for obesity monitoring and counseling services.
States can mandate that all public and private payers provide payment for physician office visits monitoring BMI and nutritional counseling of overweight and obese children.

Recommended by:

• AAP Policy: Scope of Health Care Benefits for Children Birth to Age 21
• National Governor's Association (NGA): Successful State Strategies to Prevent Childhood Obesity​

For more information: The Obesity Action Coalition (OAC)

Pediatricians are reminded that all state advocacy efforts should be coordinated with state AAP chapters. To connect with your state AAP chapter, please visit: http://www.aap.org/member/chapters/chaplist.cfm​​

BMI Screening

Action steps to increase BMI screening in the state include:

Explore BMI screening in schools for data collection.
Collecting student BMI measurements from schools can help states target school districts and geographical areas with the highest rate of obesity.

Recommended by:

• AAP Policy: Recommendations for the Prevention of Obesity
• National Governor's Association (NGA): Successful State Strategies to Prevent Childhood Obesity​

Pediatricians are reminded that all state advocacy efforts should be coordinated with state AAP chapters. To connect with your state AAP chapter, please visit: http://www.aap.org/member/chapters/chaplist.cfm​