Trump scraps Biden era proposal for Medicare to cover anti-obesity drugs

[New Breed Leader]

I'm glad I got my Ozempic when I did.

Link to tweet

The Trump administration on Friday scrapped a Biden administration proposal to have Medicare cover anti-obesity drugs, including GLP-1s.

Why it matters: The decision sidelines a politically popular idea that had big implications for the program's finances.

Driving the news: A Medicare payment rule issued Friday would maintain a long-standing prohibition on covering drugs for weight loss.

The Biden administration argued that reinterpreting the existing policy would have made the drugs more accessible to millions of Americans and potentially lower the prevalence of obesity-related illnesses.
Medicare administrators may revisit the policy in the future, according to a fact sheet on the rule.
Catch up quick: Requiring Medicare and Medicaid to cover GLP-1s like Wegovy for weight loss would have cost the government nearly $40 billion over 10 years.

Medicare currently covers the drugs to treat diabetes and heart disease.
In nearly 25,000 comments to CMS on the policy, many individuals described their own positive experiences with the drugs. But insurers urged CMS not to finalize the change.

[Bristlecone]

1. Gotta keep the price and profits high!