ICYMI: KFF Health Tracking Poll Finds Broad Support for Coverage of Anti-Obesity Medications; Health Equity Coalition Reaffirms Urgency to Address Obesity Epidemic

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Health Equity Coalition for Chronic Disease (HECCD) is uplifting two key findings from the new KFF Health Tracking Poll, which found that the majority of Americans support coverage for anti-obesity medication. The HECCD reaffirms that the Biden-Harris Administration must expand Medicare coverage of anti-obesity medication to provide people living with obesity the healthcare they need.

Here are two key findings of the study that HECCD is uplifting: 

• Eight in ten adults believe that health insurance should cover the cost of medication for adults who are overweight or have obesity. Please note that HECCD supports coverage for those living with obesity.

• Nearly one third of adults report not taking their medicine as prescribed in the past year due to the cost. 

With the release of this polling, HECCD reaffirms that that: 

• Obesity is a chronic disease and is one of our worst public health crises. The obesity epidemic is set to impact half of all Americans by 2030 if our leaders don’t take urgent action.

• Black and Hispanic Americans are disproportionately shouldering the chronic disease of obesity. Almost 50% of all Black and Hispanic Americans are living with obesity, including 60% of Black women. It’s time that our leaders prioritize health equity for the millions of Black and Hispanic people living with obesity and take immediate action.

• Medicare denies millions of Americans living with obesity access to the full range of treatment, including medication. Medicare covers life-saving medication for a range of chronic diseases, and obesity should be no different.

• The White House has the power to take immediate action and expand Medicare access to obesity medication. Medicare’s coverage policy for obesity has remained unchanged over the past two decades, ignoring science and the medical community’s consensus that obesity is a serious, chronic disease. Americans diagnosed with obesity must have access to the full range of treatment to combat obesity.

Learn more about the Health Equity Coalition for Chronic Disease at www.HealthEquityAction.org. 

The Health Equity Coalition for Chronic Disease (HECCD) believes that all people deserve the best possible health care. Continuing to allow outdated coverage policies to restrict access for communities dependent on public programs is counter to the principles of health equity. The Health Equity Coalition for Chronic Disease’s mission is to ensure that community experts, policy makers, providers, and other stakeholders work together to eliminate barriers to healthcare for communities of color, especially as related to access to care and treatment for obesity and other chronic diseases. Learn more at www.HealthEquityAction.org.