The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Friday it will not finalize a proposed rule from the Biden administration that would have expanded coverage of anti-obesity medications like GLP-1 drugs for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.
The plan, introduced in November 2023, aimed to extend access to drugs such as Wegovy and Zepbound to an estimated 3.4 million Medicare users and 4 million Medicaid enrollees with a body mass index of 30 or higher. On Friday, CMS issued a notice stating the rule would not move forward, without providing further explanation.
Currently, Medicare only covers GLP-1 drugs when prescribed for diabetes or heart disease due to a 2003 law barring coverage for weight loss treatments.
There is ongoing bipartisan support for the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA), which would permit coverage of anti-obesity drugs, but it has yet to advance.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has previously criticized GLP-1 drugs, suggesting they are aggressively marketed by foreign firms. However, he acknowledged the medications “have a place.” CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz has publicly supported GLP-1 drugs, calling their benefits “massive.”
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