Medicare will cover Wegovy to reduce heart disease risk
Medicare will provide coverage for Wegovy for patients with an increased risk of heart attack, stroke or other serious cardiovascular problems, an agency spokesperson said Thursday.
Medicare will provide coverage for Wegovy for patients with an increased risk of heart attack, stroke or other serious cardiovascular problems, an agency spokesperson said Thursday.
The decision, experts say, could grant millions of patients access to the popular yet expensive weight loss medication.
Medicare, which currently provides health insurance to more than 65 million people in the U.S., has long been barred from paying for weight loss drugs.
Earlier this month, however, the Food and Drug Administration expanded the approval for Wegovy, saying that it can be prescribed to people who are overweight or have obesity to reduce their risk of heart disease.
The change prompted the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to consider coverage because reducing heart disease risk is a medically accepted use under federal law, the spokesperson said.
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