Tag: obesity treatment

Obesity Crisis Meets Policy Standstill as Trump Halts Medicare Expansion

Ester Adams
Medicare’s role in weight-loss drug coverage

Trump Administration Reverses Plans to Expand Medicare Coverage for Obesity Drugs The Trump administration has officially halted a Biden-era initiative that aimed to extend Medicare and Medicaid coverage to include obesity drugs, a move set to impact millions of Americans coping with obesity, disproportionately affecting seniors and lower-income groups. While supporters saw the proposed expansion as a progressive step towards tackling one of the nation’s most pressing health challenges, critics have raised concerns over the potential cost burden. Below, we untangle the implications of this decision, exploring its economic, medical,…

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The High Cost of Health: Who Gets Weight Loss Prescriptions?

Angela Linders
The High Cost of Health

Disparities in Weight Loss Prescriptions The disparity in access to medications like Wegovy, Rybelsus, and Ozempic highlights a significant issue within the U.S. healthcare system. Despite the increasing medical applications of these drugs, which include managing diabetes and potentially preventing heart disease and stroke, many insurers remain reluctant to cover them for weight loss. Medicare, for example, is legally barred from covering weight-loss drugs unless the patient presents serious health risks. This limitation leaves over two-fifths of American adults who are obese but otherwise healthy without coverage options. Federal spending…

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