STAT+: Trump’s obesity drug plan creates a temporary Medicare program that may be hard to end

Weight loss drugs will become available to Medicare beneficiaries aged 65+ next month through a temporary government program. The Trump administration is bypassing a law prohibiting Medicare from covering obesity drugs by using a demonstration program, extending a transitional 'Bridge' program until 2024 after private insurers refused to participate in the original three-year 'BALANCE' plan.