Trump administration declines to increase Medicare protection for weight problems medication
The Trump administration has chosen to not finalize a rule proposed by the Biden administration that may have allowed Medicare to cowl blockbuster weight reduction medication.
The rule would have introduced in tens of billions of {dollars} in new gross sales for medication like Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound. It additionally was anticipated to extend federal spending by $25 billion for Medicare and $15 billion for Medicaid over the following 10 years.
Medicare presently covers these medication to deal with diabetes and sleep apnea and to stop coronary heart problems, however not for weight reduction alone as a result of it’s prohibited by regulation from doing so. The proposal, which Biden launched on the finish of his time period final 12 months, would increase protection of the remedies for weight reduction functions to all folks with weight problems in Medicare and Medicaid packages.
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