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New Biden proposal would have Medicare and Medicaid pay for popular weight loss drugs
Not The Bee ^ | November 26, 2024 | Staff

Posted on 11/26/2024 11:32:45 AM PST by Red Badger

Stuff like this is why the American people have absolutely no faith in their institutions.

I can see why Make America Healthy Again was such a popular movement.

The U.S. health plan before RFK: Step 1: Feed Americans unhealthy food with questionable ingredients.

Step 2: Encourage sloth and gluttony on a popular level.

Step 3: Big Pharma creates a "cure" for obesity.

Step 4: Taxpayers money goes to pay for this miracle cure.

Step 5: Big pharma profits.

Do I have that right? Am I overreacting to this? The same folks in the Biden administration who are calling RFK Jr. a "kook" for MAHA are pushing these big pharma weight loss drugs because the American people would rather take shots to lose weight than buckle down and actually be healthy.

RFK wants to remove additives, remove chemicals, and other unnatural ingredients from our food supply to help make Americans healthy. The regime wants to keep all that stuff but sell "health" in the form of a pill. Or a shot in this case.

Okay, let me get to this proposal to have Ozempic covered by Medicare and Medicaid.

The costly proposal from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sets the stage for a potential showdown between the powerful pharmaceutical industry and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an outspoken opponent of the weight-loss drugs who, as President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to lead the agency, could try to block the measure.

While the rule would give millions of people access to weekly injectables that have helped people shed pounds so quickly that some have labeled them miracle drugs, it would cost taxpayers as much as $35 billion over the next decade.

We're willing to spend $35 billion to give people weight loss drugs? And the Biden HHS is doing this on the way out the door? Why?

Is it to possibly make Trump and RFK look bad when they stop this wasteful program? Could that be the motivation?

'It's a good day for anyone who suffers from obesity,' U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra told The Associated Press in an interview.

I just want to pause here and recognize the fact that the Health Secretary of the US just opened a statement essentially saying that it's a good day to be a fatty.

Anyway, he continues:

'It's a game changer for Americans who can't afford these drugs otherwise.

This proposal would allow Americans and their doctors to determine the best path forward so they can lead healthier lives, without worrying about their ability to cover these drugs out-of-pocket, and ultimately reduce health care costs to our nation,' the White House said in a statement.

Yeah, it will just come out of YOUR pocket as a taxpayer. But not out of the welfare recipient's pocket.

By the way, as the great philosopher of our time, Oliver Anthony, pointed out, our taxes are also going to pay for these welfare recipients to fatten themselves up.

If you're five-foot-three and you're three-hundred pounds Taxes ought not to pay for your bags of Fudge Rounds

And now we're paying for the Ozempic and Wegovy as well.

More from CBS News:

Becerra estimated that an additional 3.5 million people on Medicare and 4 million on Medicaid could qualify for coverage of the drugs. But research suggests far more people might qualify, with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimating roughly 28 million people on Medicaid are considered obese ...

Kennedy, who as Trump's nominee for HHS secretary is subject to Senate confirmation, has railed against the drugs' popularity. In speeches and on social media, he's said the U.S. shouldn't cover the drugs through Medicaid or Medicare. Instead, he supports a broad expansion of coverage for healthier foods and gym memberships.

Make America Healthy Again is radical. Poisoning the food supply and then using tax dollars to pay big pharma for a "Cure" to fatness ...

That's reasonable. Them's the rules!


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Health/Medicine; Military/Veterans; Society
KEYWORDS: elonmusk; followthemoney; hss; obesity; ozempic; rfkjr; robertkennedyjr
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1 posted on 11/26/2024 11:32:45 AM PST by Red Badger
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To: Red Badger

This would likely need Congressional support would it not?


2 posted on 11/26/2024 11:34:32 AM PST by 1Old Pro
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To: Red Badger

who says lobbying doesn’t work.........................


3 posted on 11/26/2024 11:34:46 AM PST by PeterPrinciple (Thinking Caps are not longer being issued, but there must be a warehouse full of them somewhere)
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To: 1Old Pro

I don’t really know. They have delegated so much of their authority to these bureaucrats it’s difficult to say...........


4 posted on 11/26/2024 11:36:19 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: Red Badger

I’m old enough to remember when JFK promoted actual physical fitness to remedy America’s health problems.


5 posted on 11/26/2024 11:37:29 AM PST by D_Idaho ("For we wrestle not against flesh and blood...")
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To: Red Badger

Joe’s acting like he’s going to be president for another term.


6 posted on 11/26/2024 11:37:41 AM PST by lurk (u)
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To: Red Badger

“Biden proposal”

These death throws are tiresome.


7 posted on 11/26/2024 11:39:38 AM PST by WeaslesRippedMyFlesh
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To: Red Badger

When zey are forced to eat the bugs, the weight problem will go away.


8 posted on 11/26/2024 11:40:26 AM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: Red Badger

There has to be huge profits being made on these new drugs. Every 10 minute ad segment on Newmax has a commercial on Wegovy. Separately, I read the these new drugs work by paralyzing the stomach muscles and otherwise destroy muscle mass throughout the body, perhaps including the heart.


9 posted on 11/26/2024 11:46:02 AM PST by iontheball
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To: Red Badger; Liz; metmom
"..Step 3: Big Pharma creates a "cure" for obesity.
Step 4: Taxpayers money goes to pay for this miracle cure.
Step 5: Big pharma profits."

Big Pharma, still sucking off the government's tax payer dollar$
We provided them big profits for years, now it's about time that Big Pharma gets weaned off tax payer's Largess
You gotta wonder,..don't you ?

10 posted on 11/26/2024 11:48:05 AM PST by Tilted Irish Kilt
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To: Red Badger

Tell me that no more “Biden proposals” will be adopted.


11 posted on 11/26/2024 11:52:03 AM PST by 9YearLurker
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To: Red Badger

Medicade already pays for Wegovy.

Just sayin’...


12 posted on 11/26/2024 12:04:00 PM PST by Crusher138 ("Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just")
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To: Crusher138

Medicare?..............


13 posted on 11/26/2024 12:05:25 PM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: D_Idaho

This is pretty funny, getting government assistance from food stamps and then getting weight loss drugs from Medicaid.

Well, no, not really.


14 posted on 11/26/2024 12:05:28 PM PST by The Antiyuppie (When small men cast long shadows, it is near the end of the day.)
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To: Red Badger

great, now taxpayers will be expected to subsidise their obesity and the medication that fights it.


15 posted on 11/26/2024 12:07:02 PM PST by TexasFreeper2009
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To: Red Badger

If Biden had any brains his proposal would be no EBT cards excepted at McDonalds and other fat promoter places and no stores take them for cakes sodas...........................

He abuses stupidity


16 posted on 11/26/2024 12:09:39 PM PST by Vaduz
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To: 1Old Pro

Here’s the real problem. The drug costs 139.00 a month in Denmark where it’s made. In the US it’s over a 1000.00 a month because Medicare was prohibited from negotiating a price. And no insurance covers it for weight lost due to it’s cost. If you are close to 70 with bad knees and gaining weight because of of a failing endocrine system, it’s literally a matter of life and death. Don’t believe the propaganda. The price has been artificially high to gouge America. A weight loss drug that works by making you eat less and burns fat. It stopped my weight gain. At an out of pocket cost at 8 times the Danish price. If you charged diabetic 1000 a month they would pay it or die. High weight causes many other health issues. It should be no brainer.


17 posted on 11/26/2024 12:34:16 PM PST by Waverunner
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To: Red Badger

Sure! Why not use a med that shrinks heart muscle?!


18 posted on 11/26/2024 12:53:19 PM PST by aMorePerfectUnion (🦅 MAGADONIAN ⚔️ LIFE )
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To: Red Badger
My wife is on Medicare and already has coverage for Ozempic. Biden is flapping his jaws to get credit for something that already exists. Typical ignorant politician.
19 posted on 11/26/2024 1:28:23 PM PST by Myrddin
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To: Red Badger

Would be cheaper than treating all the obesity related ailments.


20 posted on 11/26/2024 1:51:09 PM PST by Mr. Blond
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