State's Largest Medicaid Managed Care Plan Offering Training to Combat West Virginia Obesit...( UniCare to conduct Continuing Medica...),Health

UniCare to conduct Continuing Medical Education, Body Mass Index training

events for physicians and clinical staff in Charleston, Beckley and

Morgantown

CHARLESTON, W.Va., Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- With adult and childhood obesity figures reaching alarming totals, UniCare Health Plan of West Virginia, Inc. (UniCare) continues to be an innovator for solutions. UniCare will announce later today that the company will travel the state to offer training to physicians and their staff on ways to help detect, prevent and manage obesity in both adults and children.

The sessions are designed to help prepare physicians and their staff in the provision of obesity-related care. Locations include:

-- Charleston - October 30, Embassy Suites

-- Morgantown - October 31, The Waterfront Place

-- Beckley - November 1, Tamarack Conference Center

"If we're going to make a dent in the state's obesity problem, we must first help physicians and their staff to identify the problem among their patients," said Governor Joe Manchin III. "Additionally, we need to arm physicians with the newest technologies and processes to manage the disease."

Manchin joined Department of Health and Human Resources secretary, Martha Walker, and UniCare officials for today's announcement. Manchin also praised the events for targeting a population with a high risk for obesity, Medicaid recipients.

"UniCare is providing West Virginia's medical community with tools and information they can use to better serve not only our members, but all of their patients as well," said John Monahan, vice president and executive director for UniCare. "The more our members understand the importance of eating healthy and being active, whether it's from a Weight Watchers class, their physician, or their physician's staff, the more likely they'll be to make a commitment to a healthier lifestyle."

Monahan said physicians and staff can still
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