Beneficiaries who are overweight would not be eligible unless they have another condition such as diabetes that qualifies for weight-loss drugs. While the rules were written for the Medicare program, which covers older Americans, the new interpretation of weight-loss drugs also applies to Medicaid, which covers low-income Americans. Unlike Kennedy, the longtime TV personality has repeatedly praised weight-loss drugs. Experts credited the use of weight-loss drugs for the slight decline. Those drugs have been gaining popularity, and lawmakers have pushed to expand federal coverage for the treatments.

Source: Washington Post November 26, 2024 14:47 UTC