How Your Health Insurance Can Help You Lose Weight

Posted in Health Insurance

January 5th, 2010

2010 ushered in a new beginning for many, especially those who have decided to get in shape and lose those unwanted extra pounds. Becausetwo-thirds of all adult Americans are overweight, exercise and dieting are some of the most common New Year’s resolutions people make. Luckily, your health insurance provider is an excellent resource for achieving those goals!

Obesity Leads to Disease

Obesity is one of the leading causes for an abundance of diseases including diabetes, heart disease, strokes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gallbladder disease, various cancers, osteoarthritis and sleep apnea. To ensure your physical well-being and to better manage their overall costs, many insurance companies offer an array of assistance to help better manage this American epidemic.

Steps to Getting in Shape

The first step in committing to any fitness or weight loss goal is to meet with your doctor regarding your overall health and determining your appropriate BMI (body mass index). Once that task is complete, your primary physician can provide you with a sensible plan and alert you a slew of benefits provided by your health insurance provider such as:

• Gym Membership Discounts: The average annual cost for a gym membership is around $775, but by tapping into the health and wellness portion of your health insurance, you may be able to shave 30% off of those fees.
• Fitness Programs: Perhaps pumping iron is not your idea of a good time. Insurance providers have also contracted with other partners to offer policyholders specialty exercise programs. It is not uncommon to find options for walking, arthritis fitness or even dance classes to include into your daily routine.
• Education: Health insurance providers have invested time and effort to making their websites easier to navigate and populating the pages with valuable information. California based insurance provider Kaiser Permanentehas tons of podcasts, videos and articles all geared towards achieving weight loss goals and maintaining a healthy weight after dieting success.
• Support Groups: For over 40 years, Weight Watchers has been a long-time favorite support group and diet plan for those struggling to achieve their diet goals. Some insurance providers work directly with the program to negotiate a discounted rate for their policyholders to take advantage of.
• Surgery: There are some Americans that need to take more drastic measures to help them achieve their weight loss goals. For those who are more than 100 lbs. overweight, surgery may be an option. If healthy eating and exercise are not enough to help you in your weight loss goal, lap band surgery or gastric bypass procedures may be your answer, and your health insurance may cover the treatment.

The types of programs and benefit levels regarding weight loss vary between insurance providers. By taking the time to review all the additional perks to your health insurance plan, you may find a plethora of services and options, perfect for keeping your New Year’s resolution of dieting on point.

Have you used your health insurance plan to help gain access to a healthier lifestyle?