Experience the Powerful Force of Momentum

Lifestyle Medicine’s Impact on Chronic Disease

• Lifestyle medicine aims to address root causes of the chronic disease epidemic.
• Progress has been made in reimbursement. Clinicians can advocate for improved payment models by sharing their experiences.

Membership of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine has tripled since 2019, now boasting over 15,000 members across different facets of the health care industry, as announced by Padmaja Patel, MD, DipABLM, FACLM, CPE,.

“We have grown from a small community of passionate members to a powerful force nationally,” commented Patel, president of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM), during the opening session of the organization’s annual conference.

The Importance of this Growth

The rise in the lifestyle medicine sector signifies a vital cultural shift in healthcare, highlights Patel. With the United States facing unprecedented crises of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity, which result in significant morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs, effective solutions are urgently required.

Lifestyle medicine has the potential to target the root of these diseases. There is evidence to suggest it can lead to medication reduction, reduced hospital encounters and healthcare cost savings.

“Most importantly, patients regain agencies in their own health journey and clinicians find joy in practice,” Patel said. “That is a powerful formula, not only to improve outcomes, but care experience.”

Traditional vs. Lifestyle Medicine Approaches

Lifestyle medicine involves screening patients’ health behaviors in six domains and assisting them to create their own “lifestyle prescription” — a concrete action plan to improve their health. It also employs shared medical appointments, interdisciplinary teams and “ongoing health coaching,” according to Patel.

Compared with traditional medicine approaches, Patel points out that lifestyle medicine approaches have a larger focus on:

• lifestyle causes vs. individual risk factors;
• active patient participation vs. passive care reception;
• larger changes for patients vs. smaller changes;
• coordinated team-based care vs. fragmented care;

Payment Models

Due to the increasing evidence supporting lifestyle medicine, many clinical practice guidelines now promote lifestyle interventions. However, improved payment models are still needed, notes Patel.

Some progress has been made. As of Oct. 1, a new ICD-10 code was established for type 2 diabetes remission, E11.A. Furthermore, the 2026 final Physician Fee Schedule reclassified code G0136 to address physical activity and nutrition, and CMS has announced plans to embed preventive care in future payment models.

ACLM is actively working with CMS to enhance reimbursement further. The organization advocates for hybrid payment models with “per number, per month” rates and the ability to bill for office visits.