Arizona Obesity Organization

Every Arizonan with obesity deserves evidence-based treatment — and coverage to receive it.

AOO is a coalition of obesity medicine clinicians, advocates, and allies working to change the policy, payer, and political landscape that determines who gets care in Arizona.

Get Involved Read the white paper

Why we exist

The Cost of Inaction in Arizona

38%

of Arizona adults live with obesity or preobesity

$11B

annual cost of untreated obesity to Arizona's economy

FDA-approved obesity medications covered under Arizona Medicaid

$7.7M

first-year cost to cover obesity treatment in AHCCCS — roughly offset by new federal drug-pricing savings

Source data: CDC BRFSS 2024, GlobalData 2025, AHCCCS coverage policy. Full citations in the AOO white paper.

Our work in Arizona

Building the case for coverage — and the coalition to win it.

AOO works to make evidence-based obesity treatment a covered benefit in Arizona. We authored The Cost of Inaction — a fully sourced economic and clinical case for coverage — and turned it into action: legislative briefs and a letter to Governor Hobbs urging obesity-medication coverage in the FY 2027 budget, a constituent letter-writing tool, and a growing coalition of clinicians, patients, employers, and partners pressing AHCCCS, payers, and policymakers to act.

The goal is simple: that no Arizonan is denied treatment for a disease we know how to treat.

See our advocacy work

Contribute

Four ways to get involved

Whether you treat obesity, advocate for coverage, live with the disease, or fund the work — there's a place for you here.

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Join Us

To equip every Arizona clinician with the tools, education, and network to treat obesity as the chronic disease it is — or to refer with confidence.

AOO membership unlocks the Resource Library: Prior Auth Pathway PDF, Payer PA Criteria Tracker, AOM Coverage Tracker, documentation templates, and free CME events. Join the largest network of obesity medicine clinicians in Arizona.

Become a member

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Volunteer

To give every Arizonan who cares about this cause a way to act — with their time, expertise, and energy.

Serve on a committee, help run events, or take part in advocacy days at the Capitol. We can always use clinicians, dietitians, students, and passionate allies.

Volunteer with us

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Advocate

To make obesity a treated condition in Arizona — by changing the policy, payer, and political landscape that determines who gets care.

Add your voice. Send a letter to your legislators and Governor Hobbs urging Medicaid coverage of evidence-based obesity treatment — we provide the template, you sign and send.

Take action

Donate or Sponsor

To fuel the policy, education, and coalition work that no single clinic, payer, or company will fund alone.

Make a one-time, tax-deductible gift, or partner with AOO as an event or program sponsor. AOO is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 84-2524149); your support funds advocacy, education, and free CME for Arizona providers.

Donate Sponsor

Governance & leadership

The AOO Governing Board

A statewide coalition of obesity medicine physicians, surgeons, pharmacists, dietitians, and public health leaders — volunteering their expertise to drive change in Arizona.

Doug Maready, MD

President

Internal Medicine + Obesity Medicine. Founder, Maready Medical.

Chantelle Lessard-Chaudoin, PA-C

Vice-President

Family medicine PA. Professor, Franklin Pierce University.

Casey Hilde, PharmD

Secretary

Pharmacy leader in obesity medicine. Adjunct Professor, U of A.

Kelsey Staudinger, DO

Director at Large

Bariatric surgeon, HonorHealth Tempe Medical Center.

Governance