With obesity (Body Mass Index [BMI] ≥ 30 kilograms [kg] per meter squared);
Who are competent and alert at the time counseling is provided; and
Whose counseling is furnished by a qualified primary care physician or other primary care practitioner in a primary care setting
Frequency
First month: one face-to-face visit every week;
Months 2 – 6: one face-to-face visit every other week; and
Months 7 – 12: one face-to-face visit every month if certain requirements are met
At the 6-month visit, a reassessment of obesity and a determination of the amount of weight loss must be performed.
To be eligible for additional face-to-face visits occurring once a month for an additional
6 months, beneficiaries must have lost at least 3kg.
For beneficiaries who do not achieve a weight loss of at least 3 kg during the first 6 months,
a reassessment of their readiness to change and BMI is appropriate after an additional 6-month period.
Beneficiary Pays
Copayment/coinsurance waived
Deductible waived
Other Notes
At the 6-month visit, a reassessment of obesity and a determination of the amount of weight loss must be performed.
To be eligible for additional face-to-face visits occurring once a month for months 7–12, Medicare beneficiaries must have lost at least 3 kg during the first 6 months.
For Medicare beneficiaries who do not achieve a weight loss of at least 3 kg during the first 6 months, a reassessment of their readiness to change and BMI is appropriate after an additional 6-month period.