S1 Ep163: What physicians need to know about Medicare's new obesity drug coverage, with Tracy Zvenyach, Ph.D., M.S., RN, of the Obesity Action Coalition
About this episode
The episode discusses Medicare's new obesity drug coverage and its implications for primary care with expert Tracy Zvenyach.
For years, Medicare and Medicaid effectively excluded coverage for the medications proven to treat obesity. That is starting to change. In 2026, CMS rolled out two new programs, the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge and the Medicaid-focused BALANCE Model, that open access to GLP-1 drugs for eligible beneficiaries and signal a shift toward treating obesity as a complex chronic disease. In this episode, Medical Economics Senior Editor Richard Payerchin speaks with Tracy Zvenyach, vice president for advocacy and research at the Obesity Action Coalition, about what those programs do and what they mean for primary care. Zvenyach explains how the two programs differ, the central role physicians will play in determining eligibility and why CMS's move represents a real policy shift after years of debate. She also digs into the persistent problem of drug pricing, where compounded GLP-1 drugs fit in, the place of metabolic and bariatric surgery in comprehensive care and the weight bias and stigma that still shape how patients are treated across the health care system. Music Credits: Cherry Blossom Memories by Cephas - stock.adobe.com A Textbook Example by Skip Peck - stock.adobe.com Editor's note…
Topics covered
- Medicare coverage
- obesity treatment
- healthcare policy
- drug pricing
- primary care
- weight bias
Sponsors
Copic medical liability insurance
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