Bipartisan, Broad Medical Community Support for Medicare Obesity Coverage Bill

Boehringer-Ingelheim, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have added their support to a bipartisan, bicameral bill — the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (S. 2407 and H.R. 4818) — to expand Medicare coverage of medications and health care specialists to treat obesity.

Currently, Medicare provides limited treatment for obesity and does not cover weight loss drugs. The bill — which has been introduced in every session of Congress since 2012 — was reintroduced July 20 by Sens. Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and has six Republican and six Democratic co-sponsors. An identical bill was also introduced in the House with one Republican and 2 Democratic co-sponsors.

In addition to the three pharmaceutical company heavyweights, the most recent bill has the support of 40 organizations including the American Diabetes Association, CDC’s Division of Nutrition, the MedTech Coalition for Metabolic Health, the National Kidney Foundation, WW Weight Watchers International and YMCA of the USA.

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