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Democratic Senators Advocate for Medicare and Medicaid Coverage of Obesity Drugs
A coalition of Democratic senators is urging Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reinstate a proposed regulation from the Biden administration that would allow Medicare and Medicaid to cover medications for obesity treatment. This initiative was previously abandoned by the Trump administration.
Senators Jeff Merkley (Oregon), Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota), Cory Booker (New Jersey), Ben Ray Luján (New Mexico), and Gary Peters (Michigan) have formally requested Secretary Kennedy to revive the rule initially suggested during President Biden’s term.
“We encourage you to re-issue a rule that would permit Medicare and Medicaid to cover anti-obesity drugs. The current situation represents a pressing public health issue, with over 38% of U.S. adults aged 60 and above struggling with obesity,” the senators stated in their letter.
According to legislation enacted in 2003, Medicare is prohibited from covering obesity medications, and many state Medicaid programs also do not provide coverage for these drugs. Attempts to overturn this restriction through bipartisan legislation have been unsuccessful in Congress.
To address this challenge, the Biden administration proposed a rule in November that aimed to reinterpret existing laws, potentially allowing Medicare Part D to include coverage for anti-obesity drugs. However, earlier this month, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it would not proceed with finalizing this rule, without offering an explanation for the decision.
“This decision would not only enhance the health of the American population but also represent a vital long-term investment to manage the expensive health complications associated with obesity,” the senators conveyed in their correspondence with Kennedy.
They highlighted that the financial burden of obesity-related medical issues surpasses $173 billion annually within the U.S. healthcare system. “Investing in the coverage of obesity treatments could help decrease these staggering expenses in the future,” they added.
The senators referenced Kennedy’s assertion during one of his confirmation hearings, where he referred to the GLP-1 class of medications as “miracle drugs,” urging him to remain committed to this viewpoint.
Nevertheless, Kennedy has previously expressed skepticism toward GLP-1 medications, claiming in interviews that he believes these drugs are being promoted to Americans by international corporations.
The Hill has reached out to the Department of Health and Human Services for further comment on this issue.
Source
thehill.com