Medicare's choice: The debate about paying for obesity treatments.

Donald Trump's team will not pay for some obesity drugs with Medicare. Medicare is a program that helps older people pay for health care. This means Medicare Part D will not cover these expensive medicines.

Joe Biden wanted Medicare to cover drugs like Zepbound and Wegovy. This would have helped more people get the medicine they need. But this plan was not finished before Trump became president again.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) did not say why they made this choice. People are asking them to explain their decision. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who works for Trump, does not like these weight loss drugs.

Many people think Medicare and Medicaid should pay for these drugs. But these drugs are costly, and many groups are hesitant to pay. Biden's plan would have cost a lot of money, maybe $35 billion over ten years.

Some people say that treating obesity can save money in the long run. This is because it can help prevent heart attacks and other health problems. Medicare pays for these drugs for some people with heart problems or diabetes, and some state Medicaid programs already cover them for obesity.