NHHF joins other leading organizations in applauding the reintroduction of the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA) in the 119th Congress. This legislation aims to improve obesity care for older Americans, especially those in vulnerable communities.
On April 4, 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) declined to cover anti-obesity medications (AOMs), including GLP-1s, as a “medically necessary” treatment for obesity under Medicare Part D. On Thursday, June 5, LULAC joined other advocates in supporting TROA—a critical step toward expanding coverage for intensive behavioral therapy (IBT) and allowing Medicare Part D to cover FDA-approved AOMs, including GLP-1s.
Introduced in the Senate by Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), TROA would ensure Medicare beneficiaries have improved access to life-changing obesity treatments. In the House, Rep. Raúl Ruiz (D-CA) is the lead Democratic sponsor and is teaming up with Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) as a bipartisan cosponsor, reflecting broad support for this essential legislation.
Obesity affects 41.9% of U.S. adults and remains one of the most prevalent chronic health challenges, with a profound impact on Latino communities across the country. According to the CDC (2023), 45.6% of Latino adults meet the criteria for obesity—highlighting a significant disparity. Among youth, the gap is equally alarming: the CDC’s National Survey of Children’s Health (2022) found that 25.8% of Latino children ages 2 to 19 have obesity, compared to just 15.5% of their non-Latino white peers. These persistent disparities fuel broader health inequities and elevate the risk for serious, obesity-related conditions, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.