America is in an obesity crisis. This chronic health condition affects nearly 42% of Americans and disproportionately impacts certain ethnic and racial groups, including 44% of Hispanic adults. The greater concern: obesity has been linked to gastrointestinal conditions like liver disease and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), yet medications to treat the condition are limited.
It’s important that GIs are involved in addressing the obesity crisis.
We have been long-time advocates for a multifaceted approach to obesity treatment that includes different treatment options, such as prescription medications.
As a part of our ongoing advocacy, we submitted a comment letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in support of their proposed rule to expand coverage of anti-obesity medications (AOMs), like glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP)/GLP-1 receptor agonist classes in the Part D Prescription Drug Program and in Medicaid.
It's important that obesity treatment guidance reflect current medical views.
Obesity is a chronic health condition and will not improve without the use of available treatments, which include AOMs. We support CMS’ proposal to update coverage of FDA-approved treatments available for beneficiaries with obesity and urge them to expand coverage of AOMs to a broader population that includes individuals with at least one weight-related condition.
This is crucial to significantly improve patient outcomes and mitigate the potential for serious GI conditions that require medical treatment.
Read more about our efforts to increase education about the obesity crisis and improve Hispanic patient access to obesity treatment with lawmakers.