The Trump administration has turned down a Biden initiative aimed at requiring Medicare and Medicaid to cover obesity-related drugs, affecting millions of potential beneficiaries. This decision highlights the existing restrictions within Medicare’s Part D, which prohibits covering weight-loss medications. Although the Biden administration previously proposed circumventing this ban by classifying the drugs as treatments for obesity-related conditions, the new ruling reaffirms the ban. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, while currently not endorsing the plan, has not entirely ruled out future consideration of coverage for these medications.
The Trump administration on Friday rejected a Biden plan that would have required Medicare and Medicaid to cover obesity drugs and expanded access for millions.
The Biden administration's proposal attempted to sidestep Medicare Part D’s ban on weight-loss drugs by arguing they would treat obesity as a disease.
Catherine Howden stated that expanding coverage for obesity drugs is not appropriate at this time but future policy options may be considered.
The most popular weight loss drugs include Wegovy, Ozempic, Zepbound, and Mounjaro, primarily from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly.
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