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Obesity Medicine Association

Obesity Medicine Association

Medical Professional Organization

Appears in 1 story

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The battle to put GLP-1 drugs on Medicare

Rule Changes

Endorsed BALANCE model and advocates for barrier-free access

Medicare has been banned from covering weight loss drugs since 2003. CMS launched the BALANCE voluntary model in December 2025 to work around the law—negotiating $50-per-month access to Ozempic, Wegovy, and similar blockbusters for 10% of Medicare enrollees starting July 2026. The workaround: don't call it weight loss coverage, call it treatment for chronic disease with specific comorbidities. Manufacturer applications closed January 8, 2026, with negotiations continuing through February 28.

Updated Jan 14