Diabetes Leadership Council and Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition are Disappointed in the CMS Decision Not to Extend Obesity Treatment Coverage to Medicare & Medicaid Beneficiaries
April 8, 2025
The Diabetes Leadership Council (DLC) and Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition (DPAC) are deeply disappointed with the decision by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to not finalize coverage of obesity medications for beneficiaries with Medicare and Medicaid. Coverage of safe, effective treatments for the chronic condition of obesity is crucial to preventing and addressing the rise in comorbidities including type 2 diabetes. Obesity rates in the U.S. have increased dramatically over the last 30 years, leaving Americans vulnerable to more than 200 other serious health conditions including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke. We care deeply about this coverage because access to proven obesity treatment and therapy is crucial to effectively preventing and managing the onset of diabetes.. Failing to treat obesity, a recognized chronic disease, will only lead to worse health outcomes for Americans.
Not only would the proposal have improved the health of Americans, but it was also broadly supported by the American public. In a poll conducted by DPAC, 73% of those polled supported Medicare andMedicaid coverage of GLP-1 medications, including a majority of Republicans, Democrats, andIndependents alike. This decision means that individuals covered by Medicare are unfairly prevented from treating their condition and are at higher risk of costly comorbid conditions as a result. DLC andDPAC look forward to working with Congress to introduce legislation to cover obesity medications and treatment for Medicare beneficiaries, and to working with all health plans to obtain coverage for individuals battling this disease.