9.4.25 Letter to CMS Administrator Oz re obesity treatment coverage.pdf

The Obesity Care Advocacy Network (OCAN), along with nearly 85 other organizations, sent a letter to Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Oz urging the agency to expand Medicare coverage for evidence-based obesity care under both Part B and Part D.

85+ Organizations Urge CMS to Expand Medicare Coverage for Comprehensive Obesity Care 

Thank You letter to OMB re CDC FY 2025 Funding Pause 8.21.2025.pdf

The Obesity Care Advocacy Network (OCAN) co-chairs sent the following letter to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regarding the CDC's DNPAO funding that was withheld this month and just released.&nbsp;

OCAN Letter to OMB Regarding CDC's DNPAO Funding

In response to the news that CMS is considering a potential CMMI program to expand coverage to obesity medications under Medicare and Medicaid, OCAN issued the following statement on August 1, 2025:“Obesity is one of the leading contributors to preventable disease and rising healthcare costs in the U.S.,” said Cristy Gallagher, Coordinator of the Obesity Care Advocacy Network. “OCAN applauds CMS for considering a potential first step toward ensuring all Americans have access to comprehensive obesity treatments including medications and intensive behavioral therapy. We hope CMS moves forward in this process and we look forward to providing feedback to ensure that all Americans receive life-changing treatment.”

OCAN statement in response to news CMS is considering CMMI program to expand treatment coverage


OCAN Press Release_TROA Reintro_FINAL.pdf

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEWashington, DC—The Obesity Care Advocacy Network (OCAN) applauds the reintroduction of the bipartisan <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1973?overview=closed">Treat and Reduce Obesity Act</a> in both the United States House and Senate. Led by Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and Reps. Mike Kelly (R-PA), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), Dr. Raul Ruiz (D-CA), and Gwen Moore (D-WI), this critical legislation would expand Medicare coverage for the full continuum of obesity care, recognizing obesity as a chronic, treatable disease that affects over 40 percent of Americans aged 60 and older.First introduced in 2013, TROA has consistently generated bipartisan support, reflecting a growing consensus among policymakers on the need to address the nation’s obesity epidemic. Modernizing Medicare policy by removing outdated barriers to care is <a href="https://obesitycareadvocacynetwork.com/news/the-will-of-the-people">supported by a majority</a> of Americans--including 82 percent of Republicans and 74 percent of Democrats. Expanding Medicare coverage and access to intensive behavioral therapy (IBT) will be key to making America healthy and addressing the nation’s chronic disease crisis.“Obesity is one of the leading contributors to preventable disease and rising healthcare costs in the U.S.,” said Cristy Gallagher, Coordinator of the Obesity Care Advocacy Network. “The introduction of TROA is a welcome and vital step toward ensuring all Americans have access to comprehensive obesity treatments. OCAN commends Senators Cassidy and Luján and Representatives Kelly, Miller-Meeks, Ruiz, and Moore, for standing up on behalf of the millions of Americans living with obesity.”The legislation would clarify an old statute that is interpreted to prohibit Medicare Part D from covering evidence-based obesity medications. TROA also enhances access to IBT under Medicare Part B, which, under the current policy, can only be provided by primary care doctors. TROA expands access to IBT to ensure a broader array of healthcare providers, including registered dietitian nutritionists, obesity medicine specialists, endocrinologists, bariatric surgeons, clinical psychologists, and community-based providers. By expanding access to lifestyle-based interventions like IBT, TROA ensures patients with obesity will have access to the full spectrum of obesity care.TROA has garnered widespread support from healthcare providers, patient advocates, and the business community, reflecting the broad consensus on the need to remove outdated barriers to care. OCAN urges Congress to prioritize obesity as a public health crisis and to swiftly pass TROA.About OCANThe Obesity Care Advocacy Network (OCAN) is a diverse group of organizations who have come together to change how the nation perceives and approaches our country’s obesity epidemic by educating and advocating for public policies and increased funding for obesity education, research, treatment, and care. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.obesitycareadvocacynetwork.com/">www.obesitycareadvocacynetwork.com</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

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