Biden proposes weight loss drug coverage requirements for Medicare and Medicaid

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

53% : "The Inflation Reduction Act has made historic strides in reducing the cost of prescriptions for our nation's seniors and those on Medicare, including a $2,000 out-of-pocket cap and the IRA premium stabilization policies," CMS Deputy Administrator Dr. Meena Seshamani said on the call.
52% : Almost 68 million are enrolled in Medicare.
51% : About 72 million Americans were enrolled in Medicaid as of July, according to the CMS.
49% : The new rule would expand access to the drugs for 3.4 million Americans who use Medicare and another 4 million people enrolled in Medicaid, the White House official said.
46% : States can decide whether to cover obesity drugs under Medicaid, but the majority don't.
46% : "The medical community today agrees that obesity is a chronic disease," Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure said on a call with reporters Tuesday.
45% : Expanding coverage to patients who rely on Medicare and Medicaid could reduce some disparities.
44% : The federal government will pick up the majority of that cost, about $25 billion for Medicare and $11 billion for Medicaid over 10 years, government officials said Tuesday.
36% : Biden proposes weight loss drug coverage requirements for Medicare and Medicaid Berkeley Lovelace Jr. November 26, 2024 at 5:25 PM The Biden administration plans to require Medicare and Medicaid to offer coverage of weight loss medications for people seeking obesity treatment.
34% : Medicare has been barred from paying for weight loss drugs, unless they're used to treat conditions like diabetes or to manage an increased risk of heart disease.
30% : Lawmakers, notably, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., have said that due to the high cost of the drugs, it could "bankrupt" the health care system if the federal government provided coverage.

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