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Republicans are Divided Over Expanding Coverage of Weight-Loss Drugs
A decision is looming on whether to expand coverage of popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, and President-Elect Donald Trump will soon have the power to decide. The proposal, put forth by President Joe Biden, aims to expand coverage of anti-obesity drugs for Medicaid and Medicare recipients. This would cost $35 billion over 10 years starting in 2026, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
The decision has sparked a divide among Republicans, with some lawmakers objecting to the plan. Representative Diana Harshbarger, R-Tenn., a licensed pharmacist, believes that obesity is not a disease, but rather a side effect of unhealthy eating habits, and thus opposes the proposal. “It’s going to put us in dire straits and run us out of money,” she said.
On the other hand, some members of the GOP Doctors Caucus, a group of 19 medical professionals in Congress, support legislation that would allow Medicare and Medicaid to pay for weight-loss drugs, as advocated by Biden. Representative Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, and co-chair of the Doctors Caucus, proposes a more holistic approach that requires FDA-approved drugs to be used under doctor-monitored usage alongside behavioral therapies and nutritionists. “If you want to fight obesity and you have a tool that seems to be working, do it — but closely monitored,” he said.
Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has expressed a different view, calling for a focus on lifestyle-based strategies like healthy eating and exercise. Meanwhile, Trump’s pick to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz, has openly promoted Ozempic.