70% of large employers will cover weight-loss surgery in 2013

Medpage -

• More than 70% of large employers will cover weight-loss surgery in 2013 -- a rate similar to past years, according to a survey by the National Business Group on Health.
• The group's Large Employers' 2013 Health Design Survey found 79% plan to cover gastric bypass surgery and 70% laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding.
• And 40% will cover physician-recommended obesity treatments for children, up slightly from 35% 2 years ago.
• With 42% of adults expected to be obese by 2030, according to a recent study, employer coverage for weight-management tools could play large for physicians and their patients.
• Employers aren't being altruistic in these coverage decisions, however.
• According to the chief executive of the business group, they must take these measures to help reduce the cost of providing health insurance -- because employees aren't taking the neccessary steps themselves.

And, sadly, we know that's true.  Even if we WANT TO, and try to, sometimes losing weight is impossibly hard and just a cycle that we cannot break.