New law aims to help Louisiana residents fight obesity battle [Video]

NEW ORLEANS — For more than two decades, our Weight Loss Wednesday report has covered patients with obesity, who were cleared for bariatric surgery, but whose health insurance did not cover the procedures.

Now Louisiana law is catching up with two dozen other states that mandate that coverage.

For years, bariatric surgery for people with obesity has been proven safe, and effective for weight loss.

“Obesity is a brain disease in which our brain tells our body to eat more, and store more. We have to remember it’s a chronic relapsing disease that doesn’t get better on its own. It doesn’t get better with diet, and exercise alone,” said Dr. Shauna Levy, bariatric surgeon and Medical Director of the Tulane Weight Loss Center. 

Diet and exercise are the initial foundation of weight loss …