Medicare Spending on Obesity Patients More Than Doubled Since 1987

September 18, 2006 Medicare Spending on Obesity Patients More Than Doubled Since 1987 While the rate of obesity among Medicare patients doubled between 1987 to 2002, Medicare health spending on those individuals more than doubled during the same time period. In 1987, 11.7% of the Medicare population was considered obese. That number grew to 22.5% of Medicare enrollees by 2002. Spending on medical care for obese Medicare patients was 9.4% of the federal government program's budget in 1987, but jumped to 24.8% by 2002. Virtually all of this spending growth is associated with patients who . . .