New weight loss drugs are out of reach for millions of older Americans because Medicare won't pay

Obesity drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound are capturing the attention of celebrities and showing promising results in helping people shed pounds. But those drugs remain out of reach for millions of older Americans. A decades-old law bans Medicare from paying for weight loss drugs. Now, drugmakers and a wide-ranging bipartisan coalition of lawmakers are gearing up to push for that to change next year. Obesity rates are rising among older adults, and some lawmakers say the United States can’t afford to keep the law on the books. But research shows the initial price tag of covering those drugs is so steep it could drain Medicare’s already shaky bank account.