The Endocrine Society is extremely disappointed the administration has chosen not to finalize a rule that would have made anti-obesity medications more accessible to millions of Americans with obesity.
The administration decided not to implement a proposal that would have allowed Medicare and Medicaid to cover anti-obesity medications for weight loss. Many Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries on limited income cannot afford these medications otherwise.
This decision leaves in place a major barrier that prevents millions of Americans from receiving appropriate and evidence-based obesity treatment and care. More than two in five adults nationwide are living with obesity, according to the Society’s Obesity Playbook. Obesity-related medical care costs total $173 billion a year in the United States.
A new generation of effective anti-obesity medications called GLP-1s have given clinicians new tools to help people with this chronic condition. Our physician members have noted that clinicians are often waiting too long to prescribe anti-obesity medications due to insurance coverage issues.
When patients are forced to delay treatment, it puts them at risk of developing other chronic diseases and medical conditions. People living with obesity are at increased risk of developing over 230 complications, including cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, liver diseases, and kidney diseases.
The current policy makes anti-obesity medications less accessible and more costly for patients. The Society will continue to advocate for Congress to pass legislation to expand Medicare and Medicaid coverage of anti-obesity medications and for the administration to take immediate action on this issue. Fighting obesity should be a priority to make Americans healthy.
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