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Trump Administration Rejects Biden-Era Plan to Expand Medicare Coverage for Weight-Loss Drugs

The decision maintains Medicare's prohibition on covering weight-loss medications, citing high costs and the need for further review.

FILE - Donna Cooper holds up a dosage of Wegovy, a drug used for weight loss, at her home in Front Royal, Va., on Friday, March 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades, File)
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Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, waves at the conclusion of his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been critical of weight loss drugs, instead placing a focus on lifestyle changes to lose weight.

Overview

  • The Trump administration announced it will not finalize a Biden-era proposal to expand Medicare and Medicaid coverage for anti-obesity drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound.
  • The Biden proposal sought to reinterpret Medicare's statutory prohibition on weight-loss drug coverage by classifying obesity as a chronic disease, potentially benefiting 7.4 million Americans.
  • Officials cited fiscal concerns, with estimates suggesting the expansion could cost Medicare $25 billion and Medicaid $15 billion over the next decade.
  • Medicare will continue to cover GLP-1 drugs for conditions like diabetes and heart disease but not for weight-loss purposes alone.
  • Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. emphasized lifestyle changes over medication, while CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz has expressed support for the benefits of GLP-1 drugs.