Biden proposes weight loss drug coverage for people on Medicare and Medicaid
For those seeking treatment for obesity, the Biden administration intends to mandate that Medicare and Medicaid provide coverage for weight-loss drugs.
The government on Tuesday proposed a new rule that would significantly increase access to anti-obesity drugs like Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Mounjaro and Zepbound.
Weight loss medications are not covered by Medicare unless they are prescribed to treat diabetes or to control an elevated risk of heart disease. Medicaid may or may not cover obesity medications, however most states do not.
By categorizing obesity pills as treatment for a "chronic disease," as opposed to weight reduction therapies, the Biden administration is attempting to reinterpret the statute that prohibits coverage.
"The medical community today agrees...