It’s Time to Pass the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act into Law
This week in Washington, DC, advocates for persons living with obesity from all over America will come together to speak with their elected representative about the reintroduction of the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA) in both the U.S. Senate and House. This is an important, bipartisan effort to address the harm of obesity to the health of so many Americans. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and Representatives Mike Kelly (R-PA), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), and Gwen Moore (D-WI) are leading its reintroduction.
This crucial legislation will open up Medicare coverage to ensure comprehensive, evidence-based care is available for individuals living with obesity – recognizing obesity as a chronic, treatable disease affecting roughly 40% of Americans aged 60 and older.
Because of outdated rules that came before obesity was a medical problem that harmed so many people, Medicare puts effective obesity care out of reach for most of us who rely on the program.
Policy to Meet the Reality Facing Americans
Obesity is one of the leading causes of preventable diseases in the U.S., driving rising healthcare costs and affecting millions of lives. Yet, current policies limit access to effective treatments, such as FDA-approved medications and intensive behavioral therapy (IBT). The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act seeks to ensure that Medicare’s coverage will include a full continuum of obesity care, including medications and IBT. Importantly, it clarifies the outdated statutes preventing Medicare Part D from covering evidence-based medications. Thus, it ensures patients have access to life-saving therapies.
TROA also expands access to IBT under Medicare Part B by removing restrictions on who can provide these services. Under the current policy, only primary care doctors are authorized to offer IBT, but TROA ensures access to a broader range of healthcare providers – including registered dietitians, obesity specialists, and bariatric surgeons.
Popular Support
This bill has garnered widespread support from both healthcare professionals and the general public, with 82% of Republicans and 74% of Democrats in favor of modernizing Medicare’s approach to obesity care. With bipartisan support and the backing of organizations like the Obesity Care Advocacy Network, The Obesity Society, and the Obesity Action Coalition, it’s time for Congress to act and pass the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act to ensure better health outcomes for millions of Americans.
Thursday, we will be in Washington for the OAC Your Weight Matters national convention. Select attendees, together with us, will kick off their participation in the meeting with visits to Capitol Hill, bringing these messages to our representatives.
Click here and here for more about reintroduction of the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act. For all the scoop on the big OAC 20th Anniversary National Convention in DC, click here.
Morning in Washington DC, photograph by Ted Kyle / ConscienHealth
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July 23, 2025
