The Biden administration on Tuesday advanced a proposal to make it easier for millions of Americans suffering from obesity to receive expensive drugs already known for the treatment of diabetes and their effectiveness in weight loss such as Wegovy or Ozempic, through Medicare or Medicaid health coverage. “This is a good day for anyone suffering from obesity. It’s a turning point for Americans who otherwise cannot afford these drugs,” Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra told the Associated Press in an interview.
However, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ proposal may not be in line with the policies of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. who, as President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the agency, could block the measure. Instead, the Biden administration recognizes obesity as a disease that can be treated with the help of medication even for those who cannot afford it. A monthly supply of Wegovy without health coverage costs $1,300. In addition, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimates that about 28 million people suffer from obesity. Specifically, the new bill targets those who are considered obese with a body mass index of 30 and above. In this case they would be considered eligible for Medicare or Medicaid health coverage as it is already provided for those with diabetes or at risk for heart disease.
The new bill, however, will have to wait until January to be passed, after Trump’s inauguration into the White House. A bipartisan coalition of members of Congress has been lobbying for these drugs to be covered by Medicare, arguing that it could benefit the U.S. economy with regard to spending billions of dollars to treat chronic ailments stemming from obesity. However, Donald Trump, who has promised to cut some spending on drugs, may not support the proposal.
“For half the price of Ozempic, we could buy regeneratively raised organic food for every American, three meals a day and a gym membership, for every obese American,” Republican Kennedy Jr. told a group of lawmakers during a panel discussion earlier this year.
