80+ Organizations Urge Trump Administration to Cut Spending & Reward Innovation by Expanding Access to Obesity Medications

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

80+ Organizations Urge Trump Administration to Cut Spending & Reward Innovation by Expanding Access to Obesity Medications

A Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Proposed Rule Would Address Outdated Policy Constraints & Expand Access to Innovative Treatments for Obesity

Tampa, FL (April 3, 2025) — Today, the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) and 80 organizations sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on the urgent need to expand access to obesity medications through a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rule.

The 81 signatories, which represent patients, healthcare providers, caregivers and older Americans, write that diseases associated with obesity, such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, are the leading causes of preventable death in the U.S. By 2030, experts believe that 50% of Americans will be living with obesity. Nearly 30% of Americans aged 65 and older are living with obesity today.

The letter from 81 organizations to HHS Secretary Kennedy states:

“The CMS proposed rule is a remedy to the longstanding interpretation of Medicare Part D statute and some state Medicaid plans. Obesity is a complex chronic disease. Obesity should have coverage for treatments similar to other chronic diseases. Medicare beneficiaries should have choice in their treatments. Thus, it is imperative that CMS make a clear and strong reinterpretation of the Part D statute to provide coverage for obesity medications.”

The current CMS interpretation of Medicare Part D coverage of obesity medications is prohibitive, citing an outdated federal statute that excludes “agents when used for anorexia, weight loss or weight gain.” This outdated CMS position stands in contrast to the significant scientific developments that have been made to treat and manage obesity. The Obesity Care Advocacy Network (OCAN) recently conducted a national poll that found 75% of surveyed Americans believe that individuals struggling with obesity should have access to effective medical treatments, the same as those with other chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease.

By implementing the rule (Proposed Rule on Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Contract Year 2026 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (File code CMS-4208-P)), the Trump Administration will show their commitment to providing CMS beneficiaries with the most innovative treatments available.

About OAC:

The Obesity Action Coalition (OAC), a more than 85,000 member-strong national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals affected by the disease of obesity through education, advocacy and support. The OAC is the first and only organization of its kind and the nation’s leading voice representing those impacted by obesity. To learn more about our work, please visit ObesityAction.org.

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