The following content is sponsored by the American Association of Senior Citizens.
President Trump has never shied away from taking on Washington’s broken bureaucracy. Whether it’s lowering prescription drug costs or shaking up outdated government programs, he has proven that bold leadership can deliver real results for the American people. And now it is their leadership that can make a difference for America’s senior citizens, who deserve access to the best modern medicine.
President Trump has an opportunity to deliver a historic victory for older Americans: Modernize Medicare to cover proven FDA-approved anti-obesity drugs that can help millions of seniors live longer, healthier, more independent lives, while also strengthening Medicare’s financial outlook.
Obesity is not about appearance; It is a chronic, life-threatening disease that leads to heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, joint failure and other costly conditions that drain Medicare budgets. Nearly half of Americans over the age of 60 struggle with obesity, yet Medicare still refuses to cover prescription drugs that directly treat obesity — even though it pays for the consequences of leaving the disease untreated. It doesn’t make sense medically or economically.
The latest generation of treatments, known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, have changed what is possible in obesity care. These are not fad diet pills. They are clinically proven medications that help patients safely lose weight, improve blood-sugar control, lower blood pressure, and protect heart health. But for millions of seniors on Medicare, these successes are out of reach.
President Trump has already made lowering prescription drug costs a focal point. In mid-October, he said the price of Ozempic would be “much lower,” signaling an aggressive effort to bring U.S. prices on par with what other countries pay and make the life-changing drug more affordable for Americans.
By directing Medicare to recognize obesity as a chronic disease and include FDA-approved drugs to treat it, President Trump can turn that promise into a game-changing initiative for seniors, empowering them to take control of their health with access to modern treatments; Reduces long-term taxpayer costs by preventing complications that drive up Medicare spending; And strengthens American innovation by supporting research and development that keeps jobs and successes at home.
The fiscal boom is real. A USC Schaefer Center analysis estimates that Medicare coverage of effective obesity drugs could generate about $175 billion in medical costs in the first decade and up to $700 billion over 30 years, by reducing hospitalizations, surgeries, and other costly treatments associated with the chronic disease.
Even modest weight loss results in measurable savings. A jama network open The study of Medicare beneficiaries found that a five percent weight loss was associated with a reduction of about $1,262 in annual health care spending per person, with larger losses being associated with even greater savings.
To be clear, some health-economics models show that near-term net spending could increase depending on drug prices, uptake, and adherence. But that’s exactly why presidential leadership on affordability, and Medicare modernization focused on prevention, matters. With effective price pressure and smart implementation, the long-term benefits to seniors’ health and Medicare’s finances could be substantial.
This approach fits perfectly into the President’s agenda. It rewards hard-working Americans who have paid into Medicare for decades and ensured they can benefit from 21st century medicine. This challenges the bureaucracy that often dictates what care seniors can and cannot receive. And it focuses government spending where it delivers results—prevention, better health and lower costs—and not more useless paperwork.
Voters agree. A recent national survey showed strong, bipartisan support (more than 70 percent) for allowing Medicare to cover obesity drugs, reflecting a common-sense approach that it is smarter to prevent disease than to pay later for a preventable disease. And according to the Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition, nearly 70 percent of Republicans and Trump voters support expanding Medicare coverage for these drugs, a clear sign that the issue resonates deeply with the conservative base.
American Association of Senior Citizens Long has advocated for policies that strengthen Medicare and protect the dignity, health, and financial security of America’s seniors. We have seen firsthand how archaic rules and bureaucratic delays harm those who can’t afford it. Medicare’s failure to cover obesity drugs is one of those failures, and President Trump can fix it.
It’s about more than medicine. It’s about honoring the promise made to older Americans: that after a lifetime of work, sacrifice, and service, they will have access to the best care that modern science can provide. Covering obesity-treatment drugs through Medicare would deliver on that promise by extending lifespan, improving quality of life, and controlling costs for everyone in the system.
The science is here. The cure is here. The American people overwhelmingly support making them accessible.
President Trump can provide that leadership with a bold decision. He can prove once again that when it comes to protecting senior citizens and eliminating government red tape, there is no better champion than him.
