U.S. President Joe Biden has proposed expanding Medicare and Medicaid coverage to include anti-obesity drugs, potentially cutting out-of-pocket costs by 95%.
U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday proposed expanding coverage of anti-obesity drugs for millions on Medicare and Medicaid, which could cut out-of-pocket expenses for some by as much as 95%.
This would enable more Americans to afford new weight loss medications that can help prevent type 2 diabetes and lower the risk of death and heart attacks by up to 20%, but cost as much as $1,000 a month without insurance coverage.
Current rules for the Medicare and Medicaid government health insurance programs cover the use of drugs such as Mounjaro, Ozempic and Wegovy for certain conditions like diabetes, but not for obesity as a condition on its own.
The NY Times reported that the program would be effective starting in 2026 and would depend on the endorsement of the President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration. Robert F Kennedy Jr is Trump's choice to lead the US Department of Health and Human Services but has said that America should tackle obesity through healthy eating, not medicine
Representatives of the Trump transition team were not immediately available for comment.
A new proposed regulation, to be published by the Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday, would require Medicare to cover these drugs as a treatment for obesity, expanding access for an estimated 3.4 million Americans with Medicare.
"Medicare coverage would reduce out-of-pocket costs for these prescription drugs by as much as 95 percent for some enrollees," the White House said in a statement.
It would also ensure access to the medications for approximately 4 million adult Medicaid enrollees, it said.
The CMS administrator told NYT that the agency estimates that coverage will cost the federal government about $25 billion for Medicare and $11 billion for Medicaid over a decade. States would pay around $4 billion for their share of the Medicaid bill, according to Ms. Brooks-LaSure. The agency estimates total Medicare drug spending over the period at $2.1 trillion.
Reuters reported earlier this month that intense demand for anti-obesity drugs has triggered supply issues, with many patients turning to cheaper compounded versions sold online.
Biden, a Democrat, has pushed hard to bring down the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs, such as by capping the cost of insulin at $35 for seniors receiving Medicare, and enacting a $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for the same group.
Biden's Inflation Reduction Act also required pharmaceutical companies to negotiate drug prices with Medicare, which covers 66 million people. The first price cuts for 10 drugs, ranging from 38% to 79% and starting in 2026, were announced in August.
Healthcare and drug industry groups have filed at least eight lawsuits to block the program, arguing it is unconstitutional and gives too much power to federal regulators.
During his first term in office, President-elect Donald Trump also sought to lower drug prices in a last-minute rule pushed out by his administration in 2020, but the measure was later blocked by a federal judge.
Joe Biden has publicly thanked people around the world for their support after announcing he’s battling an aggressive form of prostate cancer.
U.S. President Trump and Rep. Khanna have expressed support after Joe Biden’s cancer diagnosis.
Former U.S. President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, his office announced. The cancer has been identified with a Gleason score of 9, which, according to Cancer Research UK, indicates highly abnormal cells that are likely to grow rapidly.
In his first interview since leaving office, Joe Biden expressed concern over proposed peace deals for Ukraine that involve territorial concessions, describing them as a dangerous form of appeasement while also addressing US-Europe relations and his own political decisions.
President Donald Trump is touting strong job numbers as proof of his economic leadership while blaming former President Joe Biden for lingering problems, even as economic indicators show mixed signals.
A bridge collapse in the Vygonichsky district of Russia’s Bryansk region, near the Ukrainian border, triggered a train derailment and a traffic accident involving cars, leaving at least seven people injured.
Thousands of Bulgarians took to the streets in Sofia and other major cities on Saturday to oppose the government’s plan to replace the lev with the euro, a key step in the country’s deeper integration into the European Union.
A Chinese military official on Saturday rejected U.S. allegations about Beijing’s regional behavior, accusing Washington of destabilizing the Asia-Pacific region.
Paris Saint-Germain sealed their first-ever European Cup with a dominant 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in Saturday’s Champions League final.
A small plane crashed into the terrace of a residential building near Mönchengladbach, western Germany, on Saturday, killing two people, police said.
On May 28, the inauguration ceremony of Lachin International Airport was held.
A car drove into crowds of Liverpool fans celebrating the club’s Premier League title in the city centre on Monday evening, injuring dozens including 4 children. A 53-year-old man believed to be the driver was arrested at the scene.
EU ministers have greenlit a massive €150 billion defense investment fund—dubbed the Security Action for Europe (SAFE)—as the bloc ramps up its military readiness in response to Russia’s aggression and growing uncertainty over U.S. security guarantees.
Brazil’s economy is expected to have regained momentum in the first quarter of 2025, driven by a surge in household spending and private investment, according to a Reuters poll of economists conducted from May 21–26.
An international academic conference titled "Islamophobia: Exposing Prejudice and Destroying Stigma" has officially opened in the capital of Azerbaijan, bringing together global scholars, experts, and policymakers to address the rise and consequences of anti-Muslim discrimination.
The U.S. FDA has approved Moderna’s next-generation COVID-19 vaccine, mNEXSPIKE, for adults aged 65 and older and those aged 12–64 with risk factors, marking a major step under tighter regulations.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed Friday that COVID-19 vaccines are still recommended for healthy children aged 6 months and older—if their doctors agree.
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced that COVID-19 vaccines will no longer be recommended for healthy children and pregnant women — a move that has sparked sharp criticism from public health experts.
On the sun-soaked southern tip of China, a new kind of medical tourism is quietly unfolding. It’s not about cosmetic surgery or wellness spas but about survival.
Pakistan kicked off a nationwide anti-polio campaign on Monday, aiming to vaccinate over 45 million children under the age of five as part of efforts to eliminate the crippling disease—one of the last remaining in the world.
A bridge collapse in the Vygonichsky district of Russia’s Bryansk region, near the Ukrainian border, triggered a train derailment and a traffic accident involving cars, leaving at least seven people injured.
Thousands of Bulgarians took to the streets in Sofia and other major cities on Saturday to oppose the government’s plan to replace the lev with the euro, a key step in the country’s deeper integration into the European Union.
A Chinese military official on Saturday rejected U.S. allegations about Beijing’s regional behavior, accusing Washington of destabilizing the Asia-Pacific region.
Paris Saint-Germain sealed their first-ever European Cup with a dominant 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in Saturday’s Champions League final.
A small plane crashed into the terrace of a residential building near Mönchengladbach, western Germany, on Saturday, killing two people, police said.
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