SLS 19RS-538 ORIGINAL
2019 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 35
BY SENATOR BOUDREAUX
GROUP BENEFITS PROGRAM. Requests the Group Benefits Policy and Planning Board
within the office of group benefits to study and prepare a cost benefit analysis for the
provision of anti-obesity treatments and services for plan participants.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To urge and request the Group Benefits Policy and Planning Board within the office of
3 group benefits to study and prepare a cost benefit analysis for the provision of
4 anti-obesity treatments and services for plan participants.
5 WHEREAS, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Louisiana has the
6 sixth highest obesity rate in the nation with one out of every four adults in Louisiana being
7 obese; and
8 WHEREAS, Louisiana has the eighth highest obesity rate for youth ages ten to
9 seventeen; and
10 WHEREAS, the office of group benefits (OGB) provides health insurance for more
11 than 167,000 active employees and their dependents, more than 82,000 retirees and their
12 dependents, and nearly 400 COBRA participants for a combined total of more than 250,000
13 lives covered; and
14 WHEREAS, OGB's current fiscal year (FY19) budget is more than $1.53 billion with
15 a proposed fiscal year (FY20) budget of $1.56 billion; and
16 WHEREAS, if Louisiana's overall obesity statistics are correlative to the OGB
17 population, it may be that nearly 63,000 of those covered by OGB are obese; and
18 WHEREAS, the legislature, at R.S. 42:881, created the Group Benefits Policy and
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SLS 19RS-538 ORIGINAL
1 Planning Board within OGB to review and recommend life and health benefit programs
2 offered to eligible employees, including proposed rate structure which will support the life
3 and health benefit plan; and
4 WHEREAS, according to the World Health Organization, being overweight or obese
5 can have serious consequences such as cardiovascular disease including heart disease and
6 stroke, type 2 diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders like osteoarthritis, and some cancers like
7 endometrial, breast, and colon; and
8 WHEREAS, while these conditions cause premature death and substantial disability,
9 what is often overlooked is that risk of health problems start when someone is only very
10 slightly overweight, and that the likelihood of problems increases as someone becomes more
11 and more overweight, meaning that the impact can most certainly be minimized with due
12 attention; and
13 WHEREAS, the consequences of obesity cause long-term suffering for individuals
14 and families, decreased quality of life, decreased productivity, and often unmanageable
15 financial costs.
16 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
17 does hereby urge and request the Group Benefits Policy and Planning Board within the
18 office of group benefits to study and prepare a cost benefit analysis for the provision of anti-
19 obesity treatments and services for plan participants.
20 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in conducting its analysis, the Group Benefits
21 Policy and Planning Board shall:
22 (1) Estimate the costs and benefits to OGB associated with providing insurance
23 coverage for anti-obesity treatment and services including counseling, medication, and
24 surgery.
25 (2) Compare the costs and benefits estimated for providing those treatments and
26 services with the costs and benefits to OGB associated with treating diseases caused by or
27 linked to obesity including diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and other diseases.
28 (3) Analyze whether there would be cost savings associated with providing insurance
29 coverage for anti-obesity treatment and services.
30 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Group Benefits Policy and Planning Board
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SLS 19RS-538 ORIGINAL
1 shall submit a report of its analysis and findings to the Senate Committee on Health and
2 Welfare and Senate Committee on Finance on or before February 1, 2020.
3 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that OGB may work with other insurers or other
4 interested persons in developing the report required by this Section.
5 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
6 chief executive officer of the office of group benefits and the executive director of the Group
7 Benefits Policy and Planning Board.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Christine Arbo Peck.
DIGEST
SR 35 Original 2019 Regular Session Boudreaux
Requests the Group Benefits Policy and Planning Board within the office of group benefits
to study and prepare a cost benefit analysis for the provision of anti-obesity treatments and
services for plan participants. Requires submission of a report of its analysis and findings
to the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare and Senate Committee on Finance on or
before February 1, 2020.
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