Congressman Vern Buchanan | Vern Buchanan Official Website
Congressman Vern Buchanan | Vern Buchanan Official Website
On May 23, 2024, Congressman Vern Buchanan, Vice Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and Chairman of the Health Subcommittee, along with Congresswoman Gwen Moore (D-WI), announced the formation of the bipartisan Congressional Preventive Health and Wellness Caucus. The caucus aims to address the growing obesity epidemic in the United States and promote policy-centric solutions. The group's focus areas include prevention, Medical Research and Innovation (MRI), Food as Medicine (FAM), exercise, health disparities, coverage, stigma, obesity’s impact on military readiness, and physical fitness.
The caucus will work towards:
- Quantifying the cost of obesity to the U.S. economy and federal healthcare programs while identifying potential savings from preventive measures.
- Introducing legislation targeting obesity prevention, research, and treatment.
- Conducting congressional hearings and briefings on strategies to address obesity within healthcare programs.
- Organizing roundtable discussions on regional obesity issues and solutions.
“Obesity is one of the leading causes of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and other chronic diseases,” said Congressman Buchanan. “With a staggering 43 percent of adults and 20 percent of children in the U.S. suffering from obesity, it’s clear we need to get serious about this growing healthcare crisis.”
The Joint Economic Committee economists estimated in 2023 that Medicare and Medicaid will spend $4.1 trillion on obesity-related diseases between 2024 and 2033. According to CDC data, approximately 74 percent of adults in the U.S. are overweight or obese.
Congresswoman Moore expressed her enthusiasm for joining efforts with Rep. Buchanan: “I’m so excited to join my colleague Rep. Vern Buchanan in creating a caucus focused on tackling the obesity epidemic...and empowering Americans to improve their quality of life.”
The rising rates of obesity also pose national security concerns. The American Security Project reports that obesity rates among active-duty servicemembers have doubled over the past decade. Additionally, over one-third of young adults aged 17-24 are overweight or obese.
Buchanan recently led a bipartisan letter with Congressman McGovern (D-MA) urging the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) to better prepare physicians for screening and treating diet-related diseases.
In his role as Vice Chairman and senior Republican member on the House Ways and Means Committee as well as Chairman of its Health Subcommittee overseeing Medicare programs, Buchanan continues to prioritize health initiatives addressing this pressing issue.
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