Increased Access to Weight-Loss Medication for Medicare Beneficiaries
A landmark shift in the American medical landscape is underway as millions of Medicare beneficiaries suffering from obesity and heart conditions may soon have access to a highly effective weight-loss drug, according to a recent study. This development is a result of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy for reducing stroke and heart attack risk in overweight or obese adults without diabetes.
The FDA's green light potentially paves the way for approximately a quarter of Medicare beneficiaries who are overweight or obese to avail of this weight-loss medication. Notably, Medicare regulations currently prohibit the coverage of drugs solely for weight loss.
The study, published by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), estimates that about 7% of Medi...