[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Pages 15927-15928]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           OBESITY IN AMERICA

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, in a few minutes we will be closing out for 
the weekend. I will briefly comment on a couple of current issues 
before addressing some of the business before the Senate.
  The first issue is a brief comment on President Bush's decision or 
his administration's decision yesterday to have the Federal Medicare 
Program recognize obesity as a disease.
  Earlier today, we were talking about public health issues, and I 
mentioned in some African countries, because of an HIV/AIDS virus, the 
total length of life will be 33 years of age. In Botswana, if you were 
born in 1970, you would live 17 years longer than if you are born today 
because of that little virus. I mentioned that. That has gotten worse 
over the last 30 years, which we probably did not know anything about 
in this country until about 20 years ago. And it is getting much worse.
  Another problem, very similar to that, is one that is apparent to 
anybody who has kids today and picks them up from school. If you just 
watch, you see the kids are much heavier than 20 years ago, 30 years 
ago. And that has lifelong consequences. It comes down to obesity.
  There are many reasons for obesity, and I am not going to address all 
the reasons now. But there are things we can do, and we have a real 
obligation to do.
  It is a brand-new problem--or new in the last 20 years. It is getting 
worse and worse, and it condemns these kids to a life of poorer quality 
and shorter length. It is something we absolutely must address.
  I applaud the administration's decision yesterday. What they did is 
said obesity--which before was this kind of vague syndrome or 
observation--is a disease, and when you call it a disease, people 
recognize it as a disease, and then you start looking at prevention, 
care, and treatment to reverse it. That is the significance.
  Two things: First, for the first time, a major Federal health program 
recognizes obesity as a disease. It is a treatable disease--preventable 
but also treatable. The second is that it demonstrates, once again, 
that Secretary Thompson and the administration are taking extremely 
seriously the obesity epidemic which is occurring in this country.
  The administration is attacking obesity on a multitude of fronts. It 
is needed. In my mind, it is long overdue that this Nation address this 
new but rapidly growing epidemic.
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention--or the CDC, as we all 
know it--reports that because of poor nutrition and lack of physical 
activity, obesity is on its way of surpassing smoking as the leading 
killer in the United States of America. Obesity is on its way of 
surpassing smoking as the leading killer in the United States of 
America.
  Obesity contributes to other diseases, the diseases in which I 
specialize; that is, heart conditions, heart disease. It

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also affects a whole range of issues: orthopedic, pulmonary injuries as 
well.
  The immediate impact will be twofold. First of all, it will be easier 
for Medicare beneficiaries and individuals with disabilities who are 
Medicare beneficiaries to get treatment. The barrier to treatment will 
be lowered.
  When Medicare makes a decision, it has a spillover impact to the 
private sector. I think the spillover impact will be substantial, 
although the private sector has already moved ahead. They have already 
increased reimbursement for appropriate treatment for obesity in many 
areas. But the fact that the Federal Government speaks with a loud 
voice will have an impact on the private sector.
  The public and private sector have to be very cautious. We talk about 
this on the floor of the Senate every time there is a new definition of 
something that needs to be treated. We have to be very cautious in 
deciding which specific treatments to cover. We need to make sure the 
interventions are effective, but we need to also make sure they are 
cost effective.
  There are several treatments now for obesity that are available. 
Science will allow us to determine which of these treatment modalities 
are most effective and which are most cost effective.
  Also--this applies to the HIV/AIDS virus, which I mentioned earlier 
today, and to obesity, which I mention now--prevention is a critically 
important aspect of the equation. Early intervention, especially among 
children, is the key to preventing lifelong obesity and obesity-related 
illnesses.
  Nonetheless, I want to applaud the administration for this bold step. 
It will help prevent obesity and greatly improve strategies for helping 
not only seniors and individuals with disabilities but all Americans.

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