Sat Apr 05 05:15:29 UTC 2025: **Trump Administration Rejects Medicare Coverage for Expensive Obesity Drugs**
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Trump administration has announced it will not cover costly weight-loss medications like Wegovy and Zepbound under Medicare Part D, rejecting a proposal from the Biden administration that would have extended coverage for these drugs. The decision, announced late Friday, April 4th, 2025, by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), leaves millions of older Americans without federal assistance for these potentially life-changing treatments.
The Biden administration, prior to leaving office, proposed a rule in November that would have added coverage for obesity drugs under both Medicare and Medicaid, a move estimated to cost taxpayers up to $35 billion over the next decade. This proposal followed the increasing popularity of these drugs, which can cost hundreds of dollars a month and are currently covered by some state Medicaid programs and private insurers.
While polls indicate widespread public support for coverage, the Trump administration has offered no public explanation for its decision. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known opponent of these injectable drugs, may have influenced the policy change. The CMS decision comes shortly after the Senate confirmed Dr. Mehmet Oz to lead the agency.
Proponents of coverage argue that treating obesity proactively can reduce long-term healthcare costs by preventing heart attacks and other complications. Currently, Medicare only covers these drugs for patients with heart disease who need to mitigate future risks. Approximately 44% of large US companies already cover these drugs for their employees. The high cost and broad potential use of these medications have created a significant debate surrounding their widespread coverage.
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