McLaren’s Taking It Off weight management program offers education and nurse support, and the page also covers bariatric surgery criteria.
McLaren describes Taking It Off as a program to help members build a healthy life style and reach a healthy weight. Employers should confirm it applies to their group.
What the program is and what members do.
What the program is
McLaren describes weight management support, including a program called Taking It Off, designed to help members create a healthy life style and support their efforts to obtain a healthy weight.
How members use it
The carrier says members can enroll in Taking It Off by calling 888-327-0671. Members with an obesity diagnosis who receive weight loss counseling are automatically enrolled in the Weight Management program.
What it covers or does not
The carrier lists educational materials, support from its nursing staff and updates on nutrition and exercise. The page also mentions bariatric weight loss surgery as a covered benefit once criteria and a medical necessity review are met. It states no costs and no weight loss results.
Eligibility, funding and plan design.
Who can use it
The page names McLaren members, including those with an obesity diagnosis who receive weight loss counseling and those looking to qualify for bariatric surgery. The page does not state a line of business (Medicaid, Medicare or commercial). Employers should confirm with McLaren that it applies to their group.
How it is funded or sold
The page states no price. Bariatric surgery is described as a covered benefit subject to criteria and review, so employers should check how it is treated in their own plan.
Where it fits in plan design
It sits next to the medical benefit and any employer wellness program. Weight loss medication and surgery decisions drive cost, and the page does not address medications.
What to settle before relying on it.
What are the bariatric surgery criteria?
The page says surgery is covered when criteria are met after medical necessity review. We would ask for the criteria and whether our plan design changes them.
What does nurse support involve?
The page says members get support from nursing staff. We would ask about frequency, channel and how long a member can stay in the program.
Does it apply to our group?
The page does not state a line of business. We would ask McLaren to confirm eligibility for our group in writing.
Common questions about this program.
How do members join Taking It Off?
McLaren says members can enroll by calling 888-327-0671, and members with an obesity diagnosis who receive weight loss counseling are enrolled automatically.
Is bariatric surgery covered?
The page describes it as a covered benefit when criteria and a medical necessity review are met. Employers should confirm how it applies to their plan.
Does this apply to my employer group?
The page does not state a line of business. Employers should ask McLaren to confirm applicability.
Where these details come from.
This page summarizes what McLaren publishes. Programs change, so confirm current details with the carrier before relying on them.
Send us your renewal.
We’ll tell you whether it looks competitive, where we see opportunity, and the five questions we’d put to your carrier. No cost, and no obligation to move anything.
The renewal letter
Your current plan summary
Contribution split by tier
Enrolled counts by tier
Four documents — two more if your group is 50 or more. Nothing else; every extra one is a reason to postpone.
An independent employee benefits consulting firm. We look at the entire benefits program: cost, plan performance, risk and administration.
Switch to CFH. Unhappy with your broker? Your employees won’t notice. You will. →
Cookies on This Site
We use cookies to keep the site working properly and to understand how it is used. You can decline anything that is not essential. See our Privacy Policy for the detail.
- Essential: needed for the site to load and for you to move around it. These cannot be switched off.
- Analytics: tell us which pages get read, so we know what is worth writing more of.
- Advertising: set by third parties such as ad and social platforms to measure and target campaigns.