AXIOS November 26, 2024
The Biden administration on Tuesday proposed requiring Medicare and Medicaid to cover anti-obesity drugs.
Why it matters: The rule would expand access to medications known as GLP-1 agonists for millions of Americans struggling with obesity, who are at higher risk of diabetes, stroke and cardiovascular disease, according to a White House fact sheet.
- The proposal could set up a conflict between pharmaceutical companies and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Trump’s nominee for secretary of the Health and Human Services Department, who is an Ozempic critic.
Driving the news: Under current law, Medicare is barred from covering drugs for weight loss. That also makes it optional for state Medicaid plans, officials said.
- The new rule proposes a “reinterpretation”...