W.Va. to offer free Weight Watchers plan By TOM BREEN, Associated Press Writer
Sat Jan 27, 2:41 AM ET



CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Facing more than $100 million in annual costs linked to obesity, the Medicaid program in one of the country's most overweight states is turning to a familiar name to help residents slim down.

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Up to 75,000 West Virginians will soon be eligible for free weight loss courses through Weight Watchers, thanks to an effort by the state Medicaid program and the health benefits group UniCare, the largest provider of Medicaid coverage in the state.

Medicaid clients of Unicare who obtain a physician's referral and score within specific ranges on the fat-measuring body mass index will be eligible to take up to 16 weeks of courses for free from Weight Watchers. The group is famous for its regular meetings and system of assigning points to different foods.

Advocates of the program — including the state's first lady, Gayle Manchin — hope the partnership will improve the health of residents in the state and serve as a model for other states that face a similar problem. West Virginia has the third-highest percentage of obese residents in the country, behind Mississippi and Tennessee.

"It's not just a West Virginia problem, it's a national problem," said John Monahan, president of state sponsored programs for Indiana-based Wellpoint Inc., of which UniCare is a subsidiary.

If the program is successful in West Virginia, Wellpoint will look at rolling out similar programs in the 14 states where it provides benefits, Monahan said. Those states are California, Colorado Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070127/ap_on_he_me/free_we...MTA0cDJlYmhvBHNlYwM-

I do Weight Watchers. Does anyone else and how do you like it?

I really like the core program. I think the core plan is more ideal for me rather than the flex program with the points. I'm still trying to figure out those 35 weekly allowances because it's still tracking points and I rarely log in my book. I'm working on it though.

Now that's a concept.

Tyrone, it is a GREAT concept that I hope many people will benefit from. I just can not help but think they REALLY do not have the overall health in mind for the Medicaid population they targeted. I work for a Healthcare Company and medical claims are through the roof right now. We all know what they would have us believe about the "Medicaid" population, so they simply come up with this ideal under the guides of "preventative" medicine/treatment so they will not get caught paying on the back end. I really think it is GREAT program and opportunity for folks to adopt healthier lifestyles.

I do CORE as well. I admit that I don't track my 35 like I should. I made goal on points and then switched to core when it started. I'm no longer at goal now because as I get older I'd have to work even harder and eat even less to stay there and I'm just not willing to do that! I love food too much and there's too much of it that's good! Plus, I got cocky and set my goal weight too low and I can't change it again...

Tracking the 35 points is hard because for me too because of the little 2point snacks and the Smartones. I could blow that in a 3 or 4 days especially if I don't really plan and take a Smartone for lunch. I'm struggling with WW's goal weight and my doctor's goal... of course doesn't match so I trying decided which I will choose. I have until the I reach my 10% goal and that's a few weeks away. I don't know if I want to be locked in WW's goal.

quote:

Originally posted by DSU's 1st Lady:
Tyrone, it is a GREAT concept that I hope many people will benefit from. I just can not help but think they REALLY do not have the overall health in mind for the Medicaid population they targeted. I work for a Healthcare Company and medical claims are through the roof right now. We all know what they would have us believe about the "Medicaid" population, so they simply come up with this ideal under the guides of "preventative" medicine/treatment so they will not get caught paying on the back end. I really think it is GREAT program and opportunity for folks to adopt healthier lifestyles.

No argument there.