Tag

Medicaid Coverage

All articles tagged with #medicaid coverage

Obesity Persists in the U.S. While GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drugs Surge
medicine-and-health1 month ago

Obesity Persists in the U.S. While GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drugs Surge

A Pew Research Center analysis of 2024–2025 data finds about 40% of U.S. adults are obese (around 10% severely obese) with a slight decline since 2017–18; 65% say willpower alone isn’t enough to lose weight. Roughly half of Americans report hearing about Ozempic, Wegovy, and similar GLP-1 drugs extremely or very often, with women and older adults more likely to say so. Public opinion skews toward using GLP-1s for obesity-related health conditions rather than for weight loss alone. GLP-1 drugs have generated billions in revenue—Novo Nordisk’s 2024 GLP-1 sales totaled about $31.1 billion (majority from the U.S.), and Lilly’s Mounjaro/Zepbound have also surged. Medicaid coverage varies by state (13 cover GLP-1s for obesity, 7 cover some weight-loss drugs but not GLP-1s), and prescriptions rose from about 1.3 million in 2019 to 8.4 million in 2024, with spending climbing to roughly $8.6 billion.

Impacts of Trump’s Mega Bill on Medicaid and Health Insurance
politics8 months ago

Impacts of Trump’s Mega Bill on Medicaid and Health Insurance

President Trump appears unaware that the GOP's Medicaid-cutting bill will significantly reduce Medicaid coverage, despite his public promises to protect the program. The bill aims to offset costs from tax cuts and immigration enforcement by making deep cuts to Medicaid, which could result in 8 million people losing coverage and harm rural hospitals. The cuts were designed as waste, fraud, and abuse measures, but they will have substantial real-world impacts, and many Republicans are aware of this, planning to delay the most painful cuts until after the 2026 elections.

"Pa. Supreme Court Revisits Abortion Rights Under State Constitution"
legalreproductive-rights2 years ago

"Pa. Supreme Court Revisits Abortion Rights Under State Constitution"

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court grappled with the question of whether abortion access is protected by the state's constitution, with some justices signaling readiness to recognize it as a right. The case focused on Medicaid coverage for abortion, but abortion providers argued for broader rights guaranteed by the state's Equal Rights Amendment. Two justices concluded that the state's constitution establishes the right to reproductive autonomy, including the right to decide on abortion, potentially setting the stage for a landmark ruling on the issue.

Navigating Open Enrollment: Important Reminders for Health Insurance Coverage
healthcare2 years ago

Navigating Open Enrollment: Important Reminders for Health Insurance Coverage

Health insurance open enrollment has begun in Montana, providing an opportunity for uninsured individuals to obtain coverage and make plan changes at Healthcare.gov. This comes as over 93,000 Montanans have lost their Medicaid coverage this year. The restart of Medicaid caseload reviews after a three-year pause during the pandemic may result in a significant increase in new applicants. Around 87% of the 50,000 Montanans covered on Healthcare.gov receive tax credits for their monthly premiums. Open enrollment will continue until January 15, but individuals must enroll by December 15 to be covered at the start of next year. Resources and a coverage calculator are available on Cover Montana's website to assist with enrollment.