In 2025, Colorado introduced Senate Bill 25-048, known as the "Diabetes Prevention and Obesity Treatment Act." This legislation aims to enhance access to preventive care and treatment for obesity and pre-diabetes. Key provisions of the bill include:
Insurance Coverage Requirements: Mandates that private insurance companies provide coverage for:
The National Diabetes Prevention Program
Medical nutrition therapy
Intensive behavioral or lifestyle therapy
Metabolic and bariatric surgery
FDA-approved anti-obesity medications
Medicaid Expansion Efforts: Directs the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to seek federal authorization to extend similar coverage to Medicaid recipients. Upon obtaining authorization and within existing appropriations, the department must inform Medicaid members in writing about the availability of these treatments.
This initiative seeks to improve health outcomes and reduce the long-term financial burdens associated with obesity-related conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
Summary
The bill requires private insurance companies to provide coverage
for the treatment of the chronic disease of obesity and the treatment of pre-diabetes, including coverage for the national diabetes prevention program, medical nutrition therapy, intensive behavioral or lifestyle therapy, metabolic and bariatric surgery, and FDA-approved anti-obesity medication. The bill requires the department of health care policy and
financing (department) to seek federal authorization to provide treatment for the chronic disease of obesity and the treatment of pre-diabetes. Within existing appropriations and upon receiving federal authorization, the department is required to notify medicaid members in writing about the availability of the treatment.
