The Government chaired by Donald Trump has decided not to cover the expensive treatments against high demand obesity within the framework of the Federal Government Medicare program.
The Medicare and Medicaid Service Centers (CMS, in English) reported on Friday night that they would not cover medications within the framework of the coverage of prescription medications of the Medicare part of Medicare. The Medicare program covers medical care expenses mainly for people 65 years of age or older.
The predecessor of Trump, Joe Biden, proposed a rule at the end of November, after the Republican won the re -election, which would have expanded the coverage of medicines such as Zepbound and Wegovy. The norm was not expected to be finished until Trump assumed the position.
The CMS They did not offer an explanation This Friday about their decision, and did not respond immediately to a request for comments.
Injectable treatments have experienced a great increase in popularity due to weight loss that can change the lives of some patients. But many insurers and employers have been reluctant to cover the medications, which can be used by a wide range of the population and can cost hundreds of dollars a month.
Biden’s proposal was expensive: Coverage would have included for all Medicaid programs financed by States and the Federal Government for people with low income, which would have cost taxpayers up to 35,000 million dollars during the next decade.
Coverage defenders have argued that obesity treatment can reduce long -term costs by decreasing heart attacks and other expensive health complications, which may arise due to the disease.
Medicare does pay for medications like wegovy For patients suffering from heart disease and need to reduce the risk of future heart attacks, encephalic accidents and other serious problems. The Federal Program also covers versions of the medicines that treat diabetes.
More than a dozen state programs of Medicaid already pays for those medicines.
Trump returned to the presidency in January. The Senate confirmed on Thursday to Dr. Mehmet Oz to direct the CMS.
