Bill > HB3517

This bill requires health insurance providers, the Oregon Health Plan (OHP), the Public Employees' Benefit Board (PEBB), and the Oregon Educators Benefit Board (OEBB) to provide comprehensive coverage for obesity treatments. Specifically, the bill defines three key types of obesity treatments: intensive health behavioral and lifestyle treatment (evidence-based behavioral interventions for weight management), metabolic and bariatric surgery (surgical procedures recognized by professional medical societies), and obesity medications approved by the FDA for chronic weight management. Health insurance policies that currently cover bariatric surgery and nutrition counseling must now include these obesity treatments without implementing more restrictive coverage requirements than the FDA-approved indications. The treatments can be delivered in various settings, including in-office, community-based locations, or through telemedicine. These coverage requirements will apply to health insurance policies, medical assistance programs, and benefit plans offered by PEBB and OEBB, with implementation dates ranging from January 1, 2026 to January 1, 2027, depending on the specific type of health coverage. The bill aims to improve access to comprehensive obesity treatment by ensuring that patients have coverage for a range of evidence-based interventions.

Health and Social Services

https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025R1/Measures/Overview/HB3517