Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 1, 2025

Multidisciplinary Approach to Obesity Management: A Case Report
Published on: May 30, 2025
Weight Loss-Associated Decreases in Medical Care Expenditures for Commercially Insured Patients With Chronic
Kenneth Thorpe1, Anastasia Toles, Bimal Shah
1Department of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (Thorpe); Livongo, Mt. View, California (Thorpe, Toles, Schneider, and Bravata); Duke School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina (Shah); Teladoc, Mt. View, California (Shah); Center for Primary Care and Outcomes Research, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (Bravata).
Objective:
Savings associated with weight loss for populations with chronic conditions are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to estimate medical expenditure savings associated with weight loss among commercially insured adults with chronic medical conditions.
Methods The:
2001-2015 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data were used to estimate the effect of changes in body mass index (BMI) on health expenditures from instrumental variable regression models.
Results:
Decreases in annual medical expenditures associated with a reduction in BMI of 1 kg/m2 varied by condition (eg, $289 for back pain and $752 for diabetes). The greater the weight loss, the greater the savings. The higher the baseline BMI, the greater the savings for similar levels of weight loss.
Conclusions:
The detailed estimates of savings for populations with chronic conditions can be used by employers to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of weight management interventions.
More Related Videos
06:55Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting Propensity Score using the Military Health System Data Repository and National Death Index
Published on: January 8, 2020
06:16Signal Acquisition, Score Interpretation, and Economics of a Non-Invasive Point-of-Care Test for Coronary Artery Disease
Published on: August 9, 2024
Related Concept Videos
Pharmacokinetics in Obese Patients: Drug Absorption and Distribution
Drug Dosing: Obese Patients
Issues And Trends In Healthcare Delivery System
Cost Containment
Payment for healthcare services has historically promoted adoption of costly and often unnecessary or inefficient...
Atherosclerosis III: Management
Methods of Documentation VI: Case Management Model
For example, a patient with a chronic...
Methods Of Healthcare Delivery System
Managed Care System:
The managed care system is designed to control the cost while maintaining the quality of care. The patient's care from admission to discharge is planned by the primary care provider or the case manager, also known as the gatekeeper. In a managed care system, the number of care providers is...