Biden wants Medicare, Medicaid to cover pricey weight-loss drugs such as Wegovy
USA TodayDEC 11 2024
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Tuesday announced it's proposing a rule making Medicare and Medicaid recipients eligible to have the cost for weight-loss drugs, including Wegovy and Zepbound, covered starting in 2026.
The rule, which wouldn't be finalized until January, would open coverage to anyone considered obese — a body mass index of 30 or higher. The Biden administration estimates an additional 3.5M Medicare enrollees and 4M people on Medicaid would qualify.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the government would have to spend $35B over 10 years for Medicare expansion. Congress has failed to pass a bill to expand this type of coverage for more than a decade.
This is a smart move to make these drugs available to more people and allow obese people to treat their condition before they have to deal with more serious diseases. This expansion will also help close the gap between wealthy individuals who can already access the drugs and low- and middle-income people who haven't been able to obtain them. It'd be wise for Trump to stay out of the way of this popular rule taking effect.
The Biden administration is trying to sabotage Trump's attempt to fulfill his promise of cutting federal spending by forcing him to consider stopping an expensive-but-popular rule from taking effect. But Americans elected Trump to take on the establishment, including Big Pharma, and Kennedy will lead the battle and show the electorate better ways to get healthy without risking harmful side effects.