Patient advocates push for coverage of obesity treatments by Medicare

Members of Congress are being pressured by patient advocates and medical groups to require Medicare to cover obesity drugs and obesity-related behavioral therapy.

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Advocates are pushing for either new regulations or the passage of a bipartisan bill sponsored in the House by Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., and in the Senate by Sen. Thomas Carper, D-Del., with similar priorities, according to Roll Call

Currently, Medicare covers therapy through a primary care provider, but not dieticians or psychologists.

Advocates say the move will combat health issues later in a patient’s life that stem from obesity. 

“We very much continue to struggle with having obesity recognized as a disease by policymakers, health care professionals and others, and many of the organizations involved in [the Obesity Care Advocacy Network] have been advocating around this issue for more than a decade,” network cochair Joe Nadglowski told Roll Call. “It’s going to take a concerted effort, composed of multiple stakeholders, to increase access to care for people with obesity.”

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