Polling Finds Medicare Coverage of Weight Loss Drugs Is Popular
If you consume news or social media, it’s hard to miss the stories about the new class of (GLP-1) diabetes and weight loss drugs being used by tens of thousands of Americans to shed extra pounds. Oprah Winfrey even had a television special on the societal impacts of these weight loss treatments, commonly known as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro.
While these weight loss drugs offer impressive results, they cost around $1000 a month without insurance – putting them out of reach for most Americans. Which is why a group I work with, called Centrist Democrats of America (CDA), wanted to find out if voters in four important swing states, support policies requiring that insurers and Medicare cover these drugs. This is an important question because the Biden Harris administration could require Medicare to cover these drugs, ensuring their affordability for millions of Americans.
Based on our polling in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin and Arizona: it is clear that voters want the government to help them afford these GLP-1 drugs.
When asked: “If recommended by a doctor, Medicare should cover prescription drugs for weight loss for adults diagnosed with obesity, Medicare should not cover prescription drugs for weight loss,” in Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Arizona 84% of respondents agreed with that assertion. In Wisconsin, that number was slightly higher at 85%. These findings indicate broad, bi-partisan support for Medicare coverage of these GLP-1 drugs and Vice President Harris should take notice.
After all, in Pennsylvania, our survey found that 30% of respondents answered that they are “much more likely” to vote for a candidate that supported Medicare coverage of these weight loss drugs. Another 32% answered the same question that they would be “somewhat more likely.” In Georgia, those numbers were 34% and 26%, respectively.
This is not surprising, because 78% of Pennsylvanians think obesity in adults is a very big (33%) or somewhat of a big problem (45%) in the state. In Wisconsin, 85% of respondents answered that obesity is a very or somewhat big problem.
Looking again at Pennsylvania, to put the obesity numbers into perspective, combined, people who think mental health concerns are big or somewhat big problems for adults is 81%. For teenagers and children, that combined number is 79%. And, when asked about drug abuse, 83% respondents said that it is a big or somewhat big problem. In other words, obesity is as much of a concern for Pennsylvanians as mental health problems and drug addiction -- both of which have skyrocketed nationally since the pandemic.
Another concern of CDA, is that politicians in Washington, too often ignore the concerns of working-class Americans. CDA’s President, Hank Naughton, a former Massachusetts State Representative, who for two decades represented a rural, working-class district, believes that is why lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, have been too slow to address America’s obesity crisis. To gauge this challenge, we asked respondents if: “Politicians need to stop looking down on overweight Americans and denying them access to medication that will help them lose weight and improve their overall health.” In Georgia, 59% of respondents “strongly agreed” with that assertion. Across the other states polled, the numbers were very similar.
Finally, in all four states, one of the strongest responses we got was to the statement: “Studies have shown that obesity increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other health conditions. Increasing access to prescription drugs that help adults lose weight will save lives.” At least 60% in all four states “strongly agreed” that this was a good reason for the government to require Medicare to include these drugs in their coverage plans. It is clear that voters understand the benefits of these drugs, and the multitude of healthcare risks of being overweight.
Obesity is a serious matter, and our polling shows that voters in four of the key swing states are concerned about those who need to lose weight and are more inclined to support candidates who want to solve this healthcare crisis. Vice President Kamala Harris has the authority to ensure these medications are available to Americans through Medicare, and according to our polling, voters would reward her for that policy decision.
Stefan Hankin is founder and president of Lincoln Park Strategies, a research and polling firm in Washington.
