The nomination of President Trump of Dr. Mehmet Oz to direct the services centers of Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) has generated buzz throughout the health industry. When it comes to obesity, Medicare and Medicaid treatment, they only cover Ozempic for diabetes treatment, not for out -of -label use such as obesity. With limited obesity care coverage, and with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK), a well -known opponent of Ozempic and Obesity treatments beyond changes in lifestyle, to become Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), the future of accessible obesity care is unknown.
Brooke Boyarsky Pratt, CEO and co -founder of wellA primary care company specialized in obesity, recently spoke with health innovation on the potential impact on obesity care with the nominations of the current administration.
How do you see the current panorama regarding the treatment of obesity?
More doctors are certifying in obesity medicine than ever. Last October, the largest class in the history of the United States approved its Board Certification Test, which takes the total number of ABOM certified doctors (American Board of Medicine of Obesity) just under 10,000. Even so, it is an important challenge for suppliers to obtain qualified specialists to treat patients with unattered needs through generalized primary care.
Many Telesalud companies now prescribe GLP-1 medications, which, on the positive side, has increased access. However, with the increase in telesalud suppliers, there is less focus on comprehensive long -term obesity care.
The compounds are not analyzed by safety or efficiency, and with the same childhood, many companies recipe online through a patient who performs an asynchronous survey. This runs the risk of prescribing insecure medications to patients who are not appropriate for LPG-1.
Insurance coverage remains poor for obesity as a medical condition for many patients.
Could you talk about the future coverage of obesity treatment under Medicaid and Medicare?
As more research on the health benefits associated with LPG-1 is published, such as sleep apnea, heart disease and Alzheimer’s, I expect greater access for those who seek treatment coverage under Medicaid and Medicare. Troa, the treat and reduce obesity lawIt also receives broader support in Congress.
There has been much progress in the last year more or less for the obesity care movement. Today, more doctors go beyond the obsolete measure of BMI to diagnose obesity. In addition, more pediatric patients have access to adequate obesity care than never before, driven by the Pediatrics Academy ” Recent recommendation of weight loss medications for some younger patients.
The obesity rates of the United States have also decreased for the first time in a decade. There is still a lot of progress to do, but with the movement in a positive address, more and more people will finally receive the care they deserve.
However, Medicare and Medicaid programs are citing concerns about LPG-1 costs.
