A Washington Post article talks about the Trump administration experiment to expand Medicare and Medicaid coverage for GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Ozempic, potentially benefiting millions of Americans struggling with obesity. This initiative, a reversal of a previous stance, aims to improve patient metabolic health by covering these medications alongside required diet and exercise coaching. While the plan signals a shift towards viewing obesity as a serious medical condition requiring treatment, it faces concerns regarding the steep costs of lifetime treatment and skepticism from some health influencers about the drugs’ long-term effects on metabolism. The experiment, starting in 2026 for Medicaid and 2027 for Medicare, seeks broad national participation despite financial apprehensions from some states and insurers.
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