The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (H.R. 4231/S. 1973)

Congress must support and advance bipartisan legislation to ensure Medicare beneficiaries can access safe, effective, and life-saving treatments for obesity.

For more than a decade, the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA) has served as the leading legislative vehicle to improve access to comprehensive obesity care for Medicare beneficiaries. The bill has consistently received bipartisan support each time it has been introduced. More recently, the administration has taken steps to expand coverage of obesity medications for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries through the BALANCE Model. However, as program details are developed and implemented, TROA remains the primary way for members of Congress to demonstrate support for lasting improvements in obesity care. This legislation (S. 1973/H.R. 4231) will prove critical to supporting the millions of Americans living with this complex, chronic disease. Take Action Now

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The Policy Imperative: Improve Access to Obesity Care

THE SITUATION: Obesity is a complex, chronic condition that impacts over 100 million Americans. By 2030, experts estimate that nearly half of all American adults will be living with obesity. 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.

THE PROBLEM: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) still prohibits Medicare prescription drug coverage of obesity medications, citing an outdated federal statute that excludes agents used for weight loss or weight gain. Additionally, the National Coverage Determination (NCD) for intensive behavioral therapy (IBT) for obesity is overly restrictive to the types of health professionals and settings of care, significantly limiting and even undermining patient access to comprehensive services.

THE SOLUTION: Congress must pass the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA) and align Medicare 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.

TROA aims to effectively treat and address obesity in older Americans by:

• Enhancing Medicare beneficiaries’ access to healthcare providers that are best suited to provide intensive behavioral therapy.
• Allowing Medicare Part D to cover FDA-approved obesity medications.

 

It’s Easy to Advocate! Use the OAC advocacy tool below to send a letter to your legislators asking them to prioritize obesity care by passing TROA.