The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced late Friday that it will not cover medications like Zepbound and Wegovy under Medicare’s Part D prescription drug program, which primarily serves individuals aged 65 and older.
In late November, following Donald Trump‘s re-election, outgoing President Joe Biden proposed a rule that would have expanded coverage for these drugs. However, the rule was not expected to be finalized before Trump returned to office in January.
Medicare, the federal health insurance program for people aged 65 and older or those with certain disabilities, currently covers GLP-1 medications like Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro and Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic when prescribed for conditions such as diabetes. However, it does not cover the versions of these drugs that are specifically approved for the treatment of obesity.
On Thursday, the Senate confirmed Dr. Mehmet Oz as the new head of CMS under the Trump administration.
Reporting by the Associated Press contributed to this story.
This is a developing news story and will be updated as more information is available.
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