Older Adults' Views on Insurance Coverage for Weight Management Medications.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Health Services Research
• Pharmacoeconomics

Background:

• Many FDA-approved weight management medications lack coverage by Medicare and commercial insurers.
• Weight management medications, including incretin mimetics, are crucial for addressing obesity in older adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate interest in weight management medications among older adults.
• To understand perceptions of insurance coverage for these medications, particularly Medicare.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional survey data from a nationally representative sample of US adults aged 50-80.
• Analysis of interest in weight management medications and perceptions of insurance coverage.

Main Results:

• 35.1% of participants expressed interest in weight management medications, rising to 59.1% for those with a BMI ≥ 30.
• Past medication use and higher BMI were strongly associated with interest.
• 83.2% believed health insurance should cover these medications, with 75.7% supporting Medicare coverage.

Conclusions:

• A majority of older adults favor Medicare coverage for weight management drugs.
• Findings support inclusion of these medications in insurance programs to manage obesity and healthcare costs.