The LEAN (Lifestyle Education And Nutrition) Program, using a team of medical and educational professionals, combines private consultations with group sessions to achieve sustainable lifestyle modification & weight loss management. For eligible seniors, it's free.

DELRAY BEACH, Fla., May 17, 2012 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Obesity has become a major national health concern. According to the latest Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, two-thirds of adults and one-third of children are overweight or obese. The IOM states that "left unchecked, obesity's effects on health, health care costs, and our productivity as a nation could become catastrophic. The staggering human toll of obesity-related chronic disease and disability, and an annual cost of $190.2 billion for treating obesity-related illness, underscore the urgent need to strengthen prevention efforts in the United States."

In 2011, Medicare implemented new coverage for Intensive Behavioral Therapy for Obesity (IBTO) as part of a growing menu of preventive services. As with many other preventive services, IBTO requires no co-payment or deductible; it is a service valued at about $600 provided at no cost to eligible Medicare beneficiaries.

Working within Medicare's guidelines for IBTO, in 2012, MDPrevent, a preventive medicine, primary care, and education center launched its custom-developed and innovative LEAN Program. The LEAN program, which does not include pills, injections, or surgery, is a medically supervised lifestyle modification program that includes private consultations with primary care practitioners combined with group sessions with dietitians, psychologists, fitness and yoga instructors, and health educators. The program aims for slow, but steady and sustainable lifestyle modification and weight loss by focusing on healthy living and well-being. Patients lose weight in a sustainable manner by changing their relationships with food, their physical activity, how they handle stress and sleep. etc. The best part of the program is that it is free to eligible seniors. MDPrevent knows of no other program, locally or nationally, offering such a comprehensive lifestyle modification and weight loss program subject to Medicare's new guidelines.

MDPrevent was founded by Dr. Steven Charlap, a pioneering physician with an MD from New York University, an MBA from Harvard, and general surgery training. In 1989, he founded HealthDrive, which grew it to be the largest U.S. medical and dental practice serving the extended care industry. Over twenty years, HealthDrive cared for over 5 million seniors and Dr. Charlap witnessed first-hand what happens to people who don't take adequate care of their health, are institutionalized and become dependent on the kindness of strangers. According to Dr. Charlap, "It is sad to see people end their lives in a nursing home. You realize that in such a setting relatively little can be done to improve health at that point. Even more frustrating was that one couldn't even try because Medicare and Medicaid basically shunned preventive services."

In 2010, after Dr. Charlap learned that Medicare was initiating coverage for wellness services that can positively impact people's lives while saving Medicare money, he founded MDPrevent to create an innovative preventive medicine, primary care, and education center focused on providing community based services to help people change their lifestyles to avoid and mitigate chronic diseases. Dr. Charlap states, "The scientific evidence shows that the longer you live, the healthier you've been." After extensive research and consultations with the experts in the field of primary prevention, an interdisciplinary dream team of Preventioneers was assembled.

The Preventioneers's first goal was to develop an innovative lifestyle modification program to tackle chronic disease prevention. After studying many of the existing clinical and commercial models and theories of lifestyle modification and weight loss, in 2012, the first product of those efforts, LEAN was implemented. The most important aspect of LEAN is its focus on healthy living and improved well-being.

Since Medicare initiated coverage for IBTO, MDPrevent has enrolled over 200 patients in its LEAN program and weight loss results are very promising. Testimonials from patients include comments like, "I finally have my head on straight" or "it's changed my life." (See www.mymdprevent.com, Testimonials). According to Dr. Charlap, "I see the smiles on people's faces when they complete a session for the day. They feel empowered and for the first time in a long time, in control of their health and their weight. I know we are really on to something that can change the future of healthcare."

About MDPrevent

MDPrevent is a new concept in primary care that seamlessly integrates primary care, preventive medicine, and education. The healthcare practice helps American's prevent problems before they happen, reduce healthcare costs, stay healthy, and enjoy a life well lived through free Annual Wellness Visits (paid 100% by Medicare and most major insurances) The Annual Wellness Visit includes a comprehensive health risk assessment, biometric measurements, review and analysis of prescription, supplement and vitamin use, and development of a five- to 10-year prevention plan.

MDPrevent's Preventioneers, so called because they are prevention pioneers, include MDs, nurse practitioners, health psychologists, registered dietitians and nutritionists, exercise physiologists, fitness and yoga instructors and health educators, offer private consultations and experiential group sessions, medically supervised weight loss (with no pills, injections or surgery - paid 100% by most insurances if you qualify) and other classes on health, diet and nutrition, fitness and exercise, stress management, mindfulness, relationship and social network building, and other key elements of a healthy life. The goal: to improve life and smooth out the effects of aging by identifying, preventing, delaying or mitigating the development of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, dementia and some forms of cancer. Learn more at http://www.MyMDPrevent.com.

Media Contact:

Howard Schwartz MDPrevent, (561) 807-2561, howard.schwartz@mdprevent.net

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SOURCE MDPrevent

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