Don't worry about packing on the pounds as you get older.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced Tuesday that obesity screening and behavioral counseling will be covered by Medicare.
The center estimated more than 30 percent of current Medicare recipients would be categorized as obese and would therefore qualify for this benefit, according to a news release.
About 26 percent of Alachua County is obese, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
R. Paul Duncan, department chair of UF's Department of Health Services Research, Management and Policy, said he views this decision as a "worthwhile and positive change."
By working against obesity, he said, the benefit is also working to prevent other conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.
People with a body mass index of 30 or more are considered obese. Body mass index is a measure of a person's body fat based on his or her height and weight. The normal range for a healthy person is between 18.5 and 25.
Under the new Medicare plan, people who qualify can receive six months of free dietary and behavioral counseling sessions.
If the patient loses at least 6.6 pounds during the course of the sessions, he or she will be eligible for another six months of sessions.
