In a bold move aimed at tackling America’s obesity epidemic, the Biden administration has proposed making expensive weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy free for millions of low-income and elderly Americans. The plan would see these medications, which can cost up to $1,000 per month, covered under Medicaid and Medicare, the federal health insurance programs that serve the poor and the elderly.
The proposal, unveiled on Tuesday by Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, has been hailed as a potential game-changer in the fight against obesity. “It helps us recognize that obesity is with us,” Becerra told the Washington Post. “It’s severe. It’s damaging our country’s health. It’s damaging our economy.”
A Challenge for the Incoming Trump Administration
However, the plan also presents a significant challenge to the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, who is set to take office in January. Trump has vowed to slash federal spending, raising questions about whether the weight-loss drug coverage will survive budget cuts.
The proposal has also exposed potential rifts within Trump’s own health sector nominees. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been tapped to serve as Health and Human Services Secretary, has been a vocal critic of weight-loss drugs, arguing that they obscure the true causes of obesity and poor health. In a recent Fox News interview, Kennedy claimed that covering a drug like Ozempic for every overweight American would cost $3 trillion per year.
“If we spend about one-fifth of that, giving good food, three meals a day, to every man, woman and child in our country, we could solve the obesity and diabetes epidemic overnight for a tiny fraction of the cost,” Kennedy argued.
On the other hand, Mehmet Oz, the celebrity physician nominated to run Medicare and Medicaid, has praised drugs like Ozempic on social media. “For those who want to lose a few pounds, Ozempic and other semaglutide medications can be a big help,” Oz wrote last year. “We need to make it as easy as possible for people to meet their health goals, period.”
Millions Could Benefit, but at What Cost?
According to Secretary Becerra, an estimated 3.4 million people on Medicare and 4 million on Medicaid would become eligible for weight-loss drugs under the new rule. However, other research suggests the number of potential beneficiaries could be far higher. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) estimates that 28 million of its recipients currently suffer from obesity.
A recent Congressional Budget Office analysis projected that extending Medicare coverage for weight-loss medications alone would increase federal spending by $35 billion between 2026 and 2034. The high cost of the drugs, which can enable weight loss of 15-25% when combined with lifestyle changes, is a major factor driving the price tag.
The Ongoing Battle Against Obesity
The Biden administration’s proposal reflects the urgent need to address America’s worsening obesity crisis. According to the CDC, the U.S. adult obesity rate reached 41.9% in 2020, with severe obesity affecting over 9% of the population. Obesity is a major risk factor for a range of chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.
While weight-loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy have shown remarkable effectiveness in clinical trials, critics argue that relying on pharmaceutical interventions fails to address the underlying social, economic, and environmental factors fueling the obesity epidemic. Some health experts advocate for greater investments in preventive measures, such as improving access to healthy food, promoting physical activity, and creating more walkable communities.
“Obesity is a complex, multifactorial disease that requires a comprehensive approach,” noted a prominent public health researcher who requested anonymity. “While medications can be a valuable tool for some patients, we can’t simply prescribe our way out of this crisis.”
Looking Ahead
As the Biden administration’s proposal moves forward, it remains to be seen how the incoming Trump administration will respond. Will the plan to expand access to weight-loss drugs survive budget cuts and competing health priorities? Or will it be scaled back or abandoned altogether?
Regardless of the proposal’s fate, one thing is clear: America’s battle against obesity is far from over. With millions of lives and billions of dollars at stake, finding effective, sustainable solutions to this complex challenge will require ongoing collaboration among policymakers, healthcare providers, researchers, and communities across the nation.
