President Joe Biden discusses the expansion of obesity treatment coverage during a Thanksgiving event with service members and their families. The rule would provide access to weight-loss drugs for millions through Medicare and Medicaid, potentially saving billions in healthcare costs.
President Joe Biden speaks as first lady Jill Biden looks on at a Friendsgiving event with service members and their families in the Staten Island borough of New York, Monday, Nov. 25 2024. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,While the rule would give millions of people access to weekly injectables that have helped people shed pounds so quickly that some have labeled them miracle drugs, it would cost taxpayers as much as $35 billion over the next decade.
The rule would not be finalized until January, days after Trump takes office. A bipartisan coalition of congressional members has lobbied for the drugs to be covered by Medicare, saying it could save the government from spending billions of dollars on treating chronic ailments that stem from obesity. While it’s unclear where Trump himself stands on coverage of the weight-loss drugs, his allies and Cabinet picks who have vowed to cut government spending could balk at the upfront price tag.
Becerra estimated that an additional 3.5 million people on Medicare and 4 million on Medicaid could qualify for coverage of the drugs. But research suggests far more people might qualify, with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimating roughly 28 million people on Medicaid are considered obese.
Kennedy, who as Trump’s nominee for HHS secretary is subject to Senate confirmation, has railed against the drugs’ popularity. In speeches and on social media, he’s said the U.S. should not cover the drugs through Medicaid or Medicare. Instead, he supports a broad expansion of coverage for healthier foods and gym memberships.
OBESITY TREATMENT MEDICARE EXPANSION JOE BIDEN FRIENDSGIVING EVENT HEALTHCARE REFORM
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