The administration of President Donald Trump has chosen not to include costly, high-demand obesity therapies under the Medicare program of the federal government.
Late Friday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced it will not cover the drugs under Part D of Medicare. Mainly for those 65 and above, Medicare pays for medical costs.
After Trump won re-election, his predecessor, Joe Biden, suggested a regulation in late November that would have broadened coverage of medications such Zepbound and Wegovy. The regulation was not anticipated to be completed until Trump assumed office.
In January, Trump went back to work. On Thursday, the Senate approved Dr. Mehmet Oz to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
On Friday, CMS provided no justification for its choice; government representatives did not quickly react to inquiries for comment.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s Health and Human Services secretary, has been a vocal critic of the injectable medications, which have grown in popularity because of the sometimes life-changing weight reduction some patients undergo.
Polls indicate that Americans would prefer Medicaid and Medicare to pay for the expenses. Many insurance, companies, and other bill payers, however, have been hesitant to pay for the medications, which may be taken by a great swath of the population and can run into hundreds of dollars a month.
Biden’s plan was costly: It would have covered all state- and federally funded Medicaid programs for low-income people, costing taxpayers almost $35 billion over next decade.
Supporters of the program have contended that by reducing heart attacks and other costly health problems that might result from the condition, treating obesity can really save longer-term expenses.
The benefits consultancy Mercer claims 44% of U.S. businesses with 500 or more employees covered obesity medications last year.
For individuals with heart disease who must lower their risk of future heart attacks, strokes, and other major concerns, Medicare does cover medications such as Wegovy. The government program also pays for versions of the medications treating diabetes.
Already covered by more than a dozen state Medicaid programs, the medications for obesity.