OCAN Applauds House Ways & Means Committee's Bipartisan Support of an Amended Version of the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act

by OCAN

Today’s markup of H.R. 4818 was an important step toward supporting access to obesity treatments for Medicare beneficiaries. The U.S. House of Representatives’ Ways and Means Committee’s bipartisan 36-4 vote to advance an amended version of the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA, H.R. 4818) would allow older adults already taking obesity medications to maintain their treatment without losing access to these lifesaving drugs upon enrolling in Medicare. The legislation would also require the Department of Health and Human Services to undertake a reconsideration of the national coverage determination (NCD) for Medicare’s Intensive Behavior Therapy for Obesity benefit in order to ensure the NCD reflects the current clinical guidelines and scientific literature and to inform if a redetermination is necessary.

OCAN has worked tirelessly to ensure that Medicare beneficiaries with the disease of obesity have access to comprehensive treatment options. While we understand the need for limiting the scope of the legislation to address committee concerns regarding a potential prohibitive Congressional Budget Office score, we will continue to work towards increased access to comprehensive care for all persons living with the disease of obesity.

If the bill is signed into law in its current form, OCAN plans to work closely with HHS as they regulate how individuals will certify their eligibility to receive obesity medications under Part D. And our coalition is already in communication with the agency on reconsidering the NCD to bring Medicare’s IBT for obesity benefit into alignment with current guidelines and evidence.

We are grateful to Representatives Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) and Gwen Moore (D-WI) for championing this cause alongside us. We also appreciate Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) for his leadership and all the members of the Ways and Means Committee who joined them in their efforts to fight this life-threatening chronic disease by voting ‘Yes’ to favorably report the bill to the House. The robust discussion and debate held during today’s markup reflect the importance of this issue, and we look forward to continuing to work with Congress and the Administration to advance access to the full continuum of obesity care.