Obesity impacts 42% of adults in America, including more than a third of individuals over the age of 60, with associated healthcare costs totaling $1.4 trillion annually. However, Medicare does not currently provide coverage for antiobesity drugs due to outdated and frankly punitive statutes that view obesity as a lifestyle choice rather than what it is – a serious medical condition with substantial repercussions for those who suffer from it, including an increased risk for over 200 other diseases.
The Federal Employee Health Benefits Program recently added coverage for antiobesity medications, meaning federal employees, retirees, and their families are eligible for these treatments. It is time for Congress to do the same with Medicare.
Congress has a chance to make a difference in the lives of millions of Americans by passing the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act, which will modernize federal statutes and finally allow Medicare coverage for antiobesity medications. This simple and much-needed change to the law will allow people who are suffering from obesity to receive the treatment they need and avoid the medical complications that can arise if this condition is left untreated.
There are promising new treatments for obesity currently available and many more on the horizon, and allowing coverage for these treatments could generate $175 billion in savings for Medicare in the first decade, along with $1 trillion in social benefits over ten years. By treating obesity as a chronic disease, we can help those who suffer from it avoid other complications, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. This can improve their quality of life while also saving taxpayers a significant amount of money on treatments that right now are forced to focus on the complications, rather than the underlying health issue.
Allowing coverage for antiobesity medications under Medicare will likely have benefits beyond those eligible for Medicare. Other insurers tend to follow Medicare’s lead, and if Congress modernizes the law to include this coverage private insurers are likely to do the same.
As Chair of the Ways and Means Committee, Congressman Smith can play a substantial role in moving this legislation forward, and I truly hope that he will support the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act.
