WASHINGTON, D.C. – Americans aging into the Medicare program will maintain access to their anti-obesity medications (AOMs) under legislation approved with overwhelming bipartisan support last month by the Ways and Means Committee. The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (H.R. 4818) expands Medicare coverage to AOMs for seniors who are already being treated with those medications. Currently, Medicare’s Part D prescription drug program would kick an estimated 1.25 million seniors entering Medicare off of their medication because of an existing prohibition under law.
Given obesity’s long-term health implications for seniors as well as its out-of-pocket costs to patients and financial strain on the health care system, a broad coalition of health care advocates and organizations – including many disease-specific groups – have come out in support of the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act.
Alliance for Patient Access
American Gastroenterological Association
American Liver Foundation
Amputee Coalition
Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation
BPC Action
Choose Healthy Life
Coalition of 29 Disease, Minority, and Patient Advocacy Organizations
Fatty Liver Foundation
Gerontological Society of America
Health Equity Coalition for Chronic Diseases
Health & Fitness Association
Healthy Women
MANA International
National Action Network
National Council on Aging
National Kidney Foundation
National Menopause Foundation
Partnership to Advance Cardiovascular Health
Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association
The Mended Hearts, Inc.
