TOS urges broader treatment access, behavioral care coverage, and solutions for veterans and military families
ROCKVILLE, Md. — The Obesity Society (TOS), the leading U.S. organization advancing the science, treatment, and prevention of obesity, today submitted a letter to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mehmet Oz, MD, applauding the Administration’s Medicare GLP-1 Bridge Program while urging policymakers to take additional steps to ensure comprehensive, long-term obesity care for Medicare beneficiaries.
“Although this is an important first step, patients deserve more than a temporary bridge to care. They deserve sustainable access to comprehensive obesity treatment that recognizes obesity as the chronic disease it is,” said Jacqueline M. Stephens, PhD, FTOS, President of The Obesity Society. “Medication alone is not enough. Comprehensive obesity care should include nutrition, behavioral support, and ongoing clinical management. Patients need access to the full continuum of evidence-based treatment.”
In its letter, TOS encouraged CMS to expand access to the full range of FDA-approved obesity medications, noting that obesity is a heterogeneous disease and that treatment response varies significantly among patients. TOS also urged CMS to strengthen access to lifestyle and behavioral services, including Medical Nutrition Therapy and Intensive Behavioral Therapy, which remain foundational components of obesity care. Additionally, the letter raises concerns about the exclusion of TRICARE for Life beneficiaries from the Bridge Program and urged CMS and the Department of Defense to identify solutions that improve access for retired veterans and military spouses.
“Obesity is a chronic disease, and chronic diseases require long-term solutions,” said Stephens. “The Bridge Program is an important milestone, but it should be the beginning of a broader strategy to ensure patients have lasting access to the care they need.”
The recommendations align with the recently published Joint TOS, Obesity Medicine Association, and Obesity Action Coalition Expert Guidance Statement, which emphasizes that obesity treatment should be individualized, patient-centered, and guided by clinical response, patient preferences, quality of life, and long-term health outcomes.
TOS stated that it stands ready to work with CMS, the Administration, healthcare providers, patient advocates, and other stakeholders to advance policies that improve access to evidence-based obesity treatment and support better long-term outcomes for millions of Americans living with obesity.
About The Obesity Society (TOS)
The Obesity Society (TOS) is the leading scientific organization dedicated to advancing the understanding, prevention, and treatment of obesity. Through research, education, and evidence-based advocacy, TOS promotes a comprehensive and science-driven approach to addressing obesity as a serious, chronic, and treatable disease. The Society’s members include scientists, clinicians, policymakers, and other professionals working to improve health outcomes and reduce the global impact of obesity. Learn more at www.obesity.org.