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Obesity Care Week saw a powerful surge of momentum as the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) mobilized over 60 dedicated advocates to Capitol Hill in Washington, DC!
On Monday, March 4, 2024, we met with more than 70 Senators and Representatives to share our stories as patients who have been denied access to obesity care. We made the case that since obesity is a disease, everyone affected should be treated with the same dignity and respect afforded to their peers with other diseases.
In our meetings, we asked each legislator to co-sponsor the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act, a bill that would give Medicare-eligible Americans greater access to obesity care. Congress has the opportunity to make this change for Medicare recipients, which we expect will trickle down to even more health plans moving forward.
One of the biggest takeaways from this week was that Congress is, in fact, shifting its perspective around obesity! After our conversations and receiving letters from members, 23 new co-sponsors signed onto TROA. This is significant progress in our fight to expand access to comprehensive obesity care!
OAC’s Obesity Care Week on Capitol Hill by the numbers:
60+ OAC Advocates fighting for change
70+ meetings with Senators and Representatives
23 (and counting!) brand-new TROA co-sponsors
But the fight isn’t over yet – we must continue raising our voices to bring attention to the importance of comprehensive obesity care and sharing our lived experiences so this legislation can be pushed over the finish line.
You can continue supporting our advocacy efforts by donating to our Action Fund. With your generous contributions, we can amplify our advocacy initiatives and educate the public about our ongoing work. This funding will also allow us to train our Community members to advocate for themselves and their community, equipping them with the tools and resources they need to drive meaningful change.
We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the OAC Advocates who joined us on Capitol Hill and to our OAC Community, who are driving change each and every day through their dedication and compassion. Thank you for supporting our mission throughout Obesity Care Week and beyond. Together, we are changing the way we care for and about obesity!
