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The Trump Administration Must Act Now to Expand Access to Obesity Treatments
Action Will Support Millions of Americans With Obesity and Make America Healthier!
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced, as part of a proposed rule, critical policy changes to expand coverage of and access to obesity medications for beneficiaries. Medicare and Medicaid coverage of safe, effective, and life-saving obesity medications would make a significant impact to the over 40% of Americans living with obesity.
By 2030, experts estimate that nearly half of all American adults will be living with obesity. The Trump Administration must act now to change how we overcome the obesity epidemic in the United States.
How the Trump Administration Can Improve Access to Obesity Care
THE SITUATION: Obesity is a complex, multifactorial chronic condition that impacts millions of Americans. Patients living with obesity are at a high risk of developing other conditions such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers, which are leading causes of preventable deaths in the U.S. We must ensure that safe and effective treatments for obesity are accessible for those who need them most.
THE PROBLEM: CMS still prohibits prescription drug coverage of obesity medications, citing an outdated federal statute that excludes agents used for weight loss or weight gain. Americans with obesity shouldn’t face barriers to innovative medications due to bureaucratic constraints.
THE SOLUTION: The Trump Administration has an urgent and critical opportunity to take a major step forward in the fight against obesity and implement a CMS rule (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) to expand coverage of and access to obesity treatments within CMS. In acting now, the Trump Administration will align policies with our current understanding of how to effectively treat and care for patients living with obesity in the same way treatments are covered for other chronic diseases.
By the Numbers: The Impact of Obesity
In nearly half of U.S. states, more than one in three adults has obesity. This is an increase from 2013, where no state had a prevalence over 35%. The 23 states with the highest rates are: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
The prevalence of obesity in rural America is up to six times higher. While only 19% of the U.S. population lives in rural areas, they face an outsized burden of obesity.
Addressing obesity comprehensively and proactively through medications and lifestyle modifications can significantly reduce other healthcare costs, as demonstrated by a Veterans Health Administration (VA) study. Obesity costs the US healthcare system almost $173 billion per year. American adults living with obesity experience higher medical care costs by $2,505/year.
Americans Call for Improved Access to Care
“Expanding access to [obesity medications] will fulfill President Trump’s vision for a healthier America, while reducing federal spending. This rule is a clear pathway to solving a public health crisis and saving American taxpayers money.” – Public Comment CMS-2024-0345-0022
“There is a clear need to address obesity…Expanding Medicare coverage to the treatments patients need enables them to improve their health and benefits us all.” –Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA)
“This rule is a step in the right direction that would help President Trump in his mission to improve the overall health of our country…He and his administration have already begun to chart out how to best improve government inefficiency, including cutting unnecessary spending.” –Public Comment CMS-2024-0345-0033