Gov. Jared Polis and the Colorado state legislature have the opportunity this year to pass a law to help our sickest and most vulnerable Coloradans access treatment for the chronic disease, obesity, that affects almost a quarter of the state’s adult population. Currently, obesity care is only partially accessible to people with private insurance, but most Coloradans who suffer from this illness do not have access to the proven treatments to effectively manage their health.

Ultimately, this means the state ends up spending billions of dollars treating illnesses linked to or caused by obesity. Obesity is linked to more than 200 medical conditions, including type-2 diabetes, sleep apnea, heart disease, liver disease, knee and hip arthritis, 13 different types of cancer and dozens of other largely preventable illnesses.

Obesity is caused by a web of complex interactions between medical history, genetic predisposition, neuroendocrine hormones and environmental influences, beyond just a simple caloric imbalance or lack of a will to “eat right” or exercise. Treating it necessitates a multifaceted approach.

Lawmakers in Colorado recently introduced a bill, the Diabetes Prevention and Obesity Treatment Act of 2025, that would require health plans, including Medicaid, to cover intensive lifestyle interventions, obesity medications and bariatric and metabolic surgery. These treatments would ensurehundreds of thousands of Coloradans potentially avoid these health complications and save the state money.

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Though these evidence-based options can change lives by treating obesity and related diseases and improving quality of life, they are out of reach for many. Currently, Colorado state health insurance exchange plans and most employer-based insurance exclude all obesity medications. State employee plans in Colorado currently provide coverage for these medications, but plan to discontinue this coverage in July. Coverage for intensive lifestyle interventions is spotty at best. These policies affect people with the lowest incomes, those living in rural areas and people of color the most.

Almost 30% of Black, 31% of Hispanic/Latino and 31% of Native American adults in Colorado have obesity, compared to 23% of white Coloradans. Communities of color also have higher rates of diseases caused or made worse by obesity, including type-2 diabetes.

The cost of not funding obesity treatment is high. People with obesity face exorbitant personal health care costs. Average health care costs for a person with obesity are $12,588, compared to $4,699 for an individual with a healthy body weight.

Obesity alone costs the state $1.6 billion a year in medical expenditures and lost productivity, according to the Colorado Department of Health. Treating the comorbidities of obesity is even more expensive — with the total annual cost of diabetes in Colorado estimated at $4.7 billion in 2022.

Without intervention, these costs will only increase, and researchers predict that 38% of Coloradans will have obesity by 2030.

Investing in obesity treatment and interventions improves long-term health, which will reduce the cost of caring for, managing, and treating downstream and complicated health repercussions.

Policymakers in Colorado can provide relief and hope for almost a quarter of Coloradans by passing the Diabetes Prevention and Obesity Treatment Act of 2025.   

Dr. Abby Bleistein is founder and medical director of a multidisciplinary Obesity Medicine practice, Healthful Life MD. She also provides coverage for the medical teams treating inpatient and residential patients at the Eating Recovery Center in Denver. She is board certified in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics and is a diplomat of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. She is the current Colorado state advocacy representative for the Obesity Care Continuum for the Obesity Medicine Association and she is part of the working group developing the Colorado Obesity Society.

Dr. Seth Kramer is a highly experienced primary care physician and assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Colorado, Anschutz where he has served as a primary care physician since 2017. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine and board certified, specializing in obesity management and metabolic disease. His research interests are focused on obesity, nutrition, diabetes technology (CGM and insulin pumps) and metabolic disease. He has provided physician coaching on obesity care and nutrition, aiming to bridge the gap in physician education and ensure patients receive high-quality care. He is a part of the working group developing the Colorado Obesity Society.