Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Release: Medicare to Now Pay for Obesity Counseling Benefits

MOUNT LAUREL, NJ, December 1, 2011 — On Tuesday, November 29, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Medicare will pay for screenings and preventive services to help recipients curb obesity and the medical ailments associated with it, primarily heart disease, strokes and diabetes.

Beneficiaries with body mass index values of 30 or more can receive weekly in-person intensive behavioral therapy visits for a period of one month, followed by visits every two weeks for an additional five months, paid in full by Medicare with no copayment. Additional monthly sessions will be covered for up to six months afterward if the beneficiary has lost at least 6.6 pounds (3 kg) during the first six months.

To assist customers with this emerging opportunity, Robard Corporation already facilitates the training of weight loss professionals on how to counsel dieters as part of the vast number of free services it offers to customers to help grow their business. In addition, the average dieter on a Robard plan looses 2-4 pounds per week, thus aiding them in Medicare eligibility.

“This CMS announcement is further affirmation that the worldwide obesity epidemic must be combated with a united front,” said Robard President Robert Schwartz. “We at Robard are proud to offer our partners the training, resources, and products required to help dieters improve the quality of their lives and decrease comorbidities just as we have for more than 35 years.”

Robard’s business development team works directly with their partners to grow their businesses, providing business planning, marketing solutions and operational support nationwide to corporations, hospital networks, physician practices, medical weight loss clinics, surgical facilities, and others.

For more information on Robard and its services, please visit www.Robard.com.

About Robard Corporation:

As a designer and formulator of programs and products to the medical community since 1976, Robard Corporation provides customers focused business development solutions that can help:

- Enhance dieter weight loss results

- Streamline operation efficiencies

- Maximize program awareness

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