STAT+: Medicare already covers GLP-1s for half of seniors with obesity, new report finds

WASHINGTON — A new report from congressional budget experts this week estimated that it would cost Medicare an additional $35 billion over nine years if the program began covering GLP-1 drugs for obesity. But the report also noted that half of seniors who would qualify for obesity coverage already have access to the drugs for other conditions.

Medicare is prohibited by law from covering weight loss drugs, including Wegovy and Zepbound. The active ingredients in those drugs also are approved for other conditions, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease, that Medicare does cover. 

Drugs for those conditions already exist, and they’re often generic. But a lot of people are switching to GLP-1s. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 29 million beneficiaries would qualify for weight loss drugs in 2026. 

Continue to STAT+ to read the full story…