The Federal Perspective on Coverage of Medications to Treat Obesity: Considerations From the Congressional Budget Office

https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2024-03/60116-Duchovny.pdf?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=299162334&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--AiXu-ATs_3WjhjeoFN-2TB5--_WRr64EJXlsysQ9LCMaLOYgJfPQ8rhJGL3IB_f6PZohawzw9S-8OkDjyyx4w2G-ylg&utm_content=299162334&utm_source=hs_email Obesity drug Wegovy gets FDA approval to add cardiovascular benefits on its label Elaine Chen By Elaine Chen March 8, 2024 https://www.statnews.com/2024/03/08/obesity-heart-disease-wegovy-fda-expands-label-novo-nordisk/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=299162334&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--EiLEgFd244BIC_Qkrt2DonhcAHZrJKydfcbTTNqanEAFG_Pewb9sZiLrEPFHJP1f2ULLL_1Zf01oG0OW2aSwCBR3Ldg&utm_content=299162334&utm_source=hs_email Medicare expected to negotiate obesity drug prices soon, new analysis predicts John Wilkerson By John Wilkerson March 20, 2024 https://www.statnews.com/2024/03/20/wegovy-medicare-drug-price-negotiation-list-within-next-few-years/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=299162334&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8_B70KJo1the_u7h5JzwaL1M4fxtwHdknbk9jQ3dQk5VkOkSNjzHsGtzAoUDITF-WHx4RjYRzTKiaqWh5VuncVp9na1w&utm_content=299162334&utm_source=hs_email Medicare expected to negotiate obesity drug prices soon, report says The wave of new obesity drugs has brought with it questions about who will pay for the $1,100 to $1,300 a week the wildly popular drugs cost. By law, Medicare can’t cover medications for obesity, but it will pay for seniors to take the same drugs for diabetes and heart problems. A new analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says Medicare will likely choose the obesity drug semaglutide, sold by Novo Nordisk as Wegovy, for price negotiation “within the next few years.” That choice may be more palatable to Congress than blanket coverage, which could do away with the restriction on obesity coverage. It’s not clear how many more Medicare beneficiaries would be eligible for obesity drugs if Medicare were to cover them for obesity, according to the CBO, because many also have conditions for which the drugs are covered. The FDA recently approved a label expansion for Wegovy’s heart benefits. STAT’s John Wilkerson has more.