7.4 million Americans might profit from the Biden administration’s ground-breaking proposal to expand Medicare and Medicaid coverage for pricey anti-obesity medications.
Political obstacles stand in the way of this initiative’s potential to revolutionize obesity treatment and healthcare accessible if it is put into action.
The Biden administration launched a daring plan Tuesday that could soon expand access to life-changing anti-obesity medications for millions more Americans.
Targeting 4 million Medicaid clients and 3.4 million Medicare beneficiaries, the idea may drastically lower the cost of these expensive drugs, which can currently cost more than $1,000 a month without insurance.
The administration said in a statement that “this initiative prioritizes health over wealth,” highlighting the fact that obesity is a chronic condition that needs long-term, reasonably priced care.
A significant change in public health policy might result in a 95% reduction in out-of-pocket expenses for obese Medicare users by 2026.
In order to categorize obesity as a chronic illness, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services suggests reinterpreting federal statutes.
With this modification, Medicare would be able to pay for medications like Ozempic and Wegovy, which are already approved for the treatment of cardiovascular disease in obese individuals.
Additionally, Medicaid would cover these drugs, filling a significant healthcare equality gap.
But there are a lot of obstacles in the way of the plan. The position of the next administration is still out in the air, as President Biden is scheduled to step down in January.
Opponents like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is set to become the head of the Department of Health and Human Services, prefer other approaches, such as enhancing food quality, to increasing access to drugs.
Advocates, such as Dr. Mehmet Oz, contend that these drugs enable people to reach long-term health objectives.
The idea is expected to cost $36 billion over ten years, raising doubts about its viability despite its promises of revolutionary benefits. However, the prospect of easily accessible treatment gives millions of people hope in the battle against obesity.
