TROA is Back: Let’s Keep Pushing Forward for Access to Obesity Care

The Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) is celebrating the reintroduction of the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA) — H.R. 4231/S. 1973 into the 119th Congress! Last month, Senator Bill Cassidy (LA) along with Senator Ben Ray Luján (NM) and 15 other original Senate cosponsors reintroduced TROA in the Senate. Today, the House version was reintroduced by Mike Kelly (PA), Gwen Moore (WI), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA), Rual Ruiz (CA) and eight other original cosponsors. We extend our sincere thanks to all of our long time and new supporters for their commitment to expanding access to obesity care.

If you’ve followed the OAC for a while, you’ve likely heard us talk about TROA before. This important legislation has been introduced in every Congress since 2012, and it remains a top priority for OAC. If passed, TROA would expand access to comprehensive obesity care for millions of Americans with Medicare — including access to intensive behavioral therapy with qualified healthcare providers and FDA-approved medications. Click here to learn more. 

While reintroduction is an exciting milestone, we’ve still got some work to do. This bill will need the full support of advocates like you to keep it moving forward. 

We also know our Community has questions — and maybe even some frustration — about why this legislation keeps coming back, what’s taking so long, and what’s different this time around. Here are some answers:

Q: Why is TROA being introduced again?

Each new Congress (which begins every two years) requires legislation to be reintroduced. TROA must be refiled each session in order to stay active and be considered again for hearings or votes.

Q: Why is it taking so long? Will TROA ever pass?

We get it. This process can feel slow and discouraging. But this is how federal legislation works, especially when it involves changing Medicare policy. Progress is being made. In fact, TROA got farther in 2024 than it ever had in previous years! Each time it is introduced, it gains more awareness and more bipartisan supporters in Congress. The average time to pass a bill in Congress is 12 years. We’re not giving up!

Q: What happened to the CMS Proposed Rule?

The proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) aimed to improve access to some obesity care services through regulatory change. While it was a promising development, it ultimately did not move forward in its original form. 

Even if it had been finalized, the changes it proposed would not have been permanent. That’s why TROA remains essential. TROA is part of the legislative process, which creates long-lasting change by codifying coverage for comprehensive obesity care into law. Legislative action provides the clarity and durability needed to truly expand access for older Americans.

Q: Last month you asked me to send a letter to President Trump. Why send another letter to Congress?

OAC has always pursued a dual-track approach — advocating for change through both regulatory and legislative pathways. Our goal is simple: to expand access to obesity care, however we can get it done!

Writing to the President and his Administration was part of our push for regulatory action, like the CMS proposed rule. Now that TROA has been reintroduced in Congress, we’re shifting focus to the legislative process — because both tracks are critical, and your voice makes a difference every step of the way.

Q: I’m not on Medicare. Why does this matter to me?

TROA is about more than just Medicare. When federal programs expand access to care, it creates a ripple effect that can influence private insurance coverage, reduce stigma, and shape national conversations about obesity treatment. Plus, many of us have loved ones on Medicare who deserve access to care.

 

For more information about TROA, click here for Frequently Asked Questions & Answers.

Take Action Now
So, let’s keep the momentum going! Use your voice. Visit the OAC Action Center to send an automated, customizable letter to your legislators urging them to support TROA. Let’s do everything we can to get this legislation through the finish line!

Want to do even more?
Support OAC’s advocacy work by making a donation to the OAC Action Fund. Your gift helps us amplify the voices of people affected by obesity, mobilize advocates across the country, and push for policies like TROA that expand access to care. Donate Here