Seniors' obesity-counseling benefit goes largely unused

Phil Galewitz, Kaiser Health News6 a.m. EST November 15, 2014

"Three years ago, the Obama administration offered hope to millions of overweight seniors when it announced Medicare would offer free weight-loss counseling.

Officials estimated that about 30% of seniors are obese and therefore eligible for counseling services, which studies have shown improve the odds of significant weight loss.

But fewer than 1% of Medicare's 50 million beneficiaries have used the benefit. Experts blame the government's failure to promote the program, rules that limit where and when patients can go for counseling and the relatively low level of reimbursement fees for providers."