(C) Missouri Independent
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Congress should allow Medicare to offer coverage for anti-obesity medications • Missouri Independent [1]
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Date: 2025-04-11
President Donald Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have pledged to “make America healthy again.” If Congress wants to actually take a step in that direction, it should pass legislation that would allow Medicare to finally offer coverage for anti-obesity medications.
Right now, our Medicare system is operating on regulations that are more than two decades old that specifically block coverage for anti-obesity medications, allowing only counseling or bariatric surgery in very specific circumstances.
Blocking coverage for amphetamines made sense when those were the only option. However, in the years since these regulations were introduced we have not only gained access to anti-obesity medications with a proven track record, we have also learned more about obesity and its effect on our nation.
Our current regulations are the equivalent of a “wait and see” approach, not taking the disease seriously until other health problems arise as a result. We need to take a more practical, proactive approach that reflects everything medicine has learned over the past two decades.
Obesity isn’t a personal choice, and it isn’t just a cosmetic issue. It is a chronic disease, and it is time for Medicare to treat it as such.
Choosing not to address obesity can contribute to other life-threatening health issues including diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure that can be much more difficult and more invasive to treat.
Before President Trump took office, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services promulgated a rule that would finally allow anti-obesity medications. I am disappointed to see that this rule was rescinded, and I call on Congress to take up the task and pass legislation that will allow Medicare patients to access anti-obesity medications, modernizing our approach to obesity and helping people across the nation get the treatment they need.
This will be particularly important for Missouri, where our obesity rate is 37%, the 16th highest in the nation.
One-third of our state’s seniors are obese, putting them at risk of significant health issues that can be much more expensive and burdensome to deal with. Allowing Medicare to cover anti-obesity medications can ensure seniors are able to treat this disease before it leads to even bigger problems.
The savings from coverage of anti-obesity medications could be massive, as treating obesity can help avoid costlier diseases down the line. This is a huge benefit to taxpayers that will also improve the quality of life for millions of Americans. I would strongly encourage our congressional delegation to support legislation that will allow patients to access these medications.
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[1] Url:
https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/11/congress-should-allow-medicare-to-offer-coverage-for-anti-obesity-medications/
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