**Title and Conclusion Updated since November 2024 Announcement regarding Medicare Coverage of Weight Loss Drugs by Biden Administration. Previous Title: Feeding Pharma: How America's Obesity Crisis Became a *Billion Dollar Giveaway
We live in a time when the United States is seriously considering prescribing expensive, lifelong obesity medications to children—some as young as ten years old—while simultaneously neglecting to invest in their basic nutritional needs. Why are we willing to spend thousands of dollars per child on medication, yet unwilling to provide nutritious meals at school for those same children? We’ll get there, but first let’s break down how this plays out in real life for working families.
The father, who works full-time, is covered by his employer’s health plan, which also provides coverage for his spouse and two children. Like many Americans, they have what’s called a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average annual premium for family coverage in 2023 was $22,463, and about 29% of that premium is paid by employees themselves. This means that this father is paying approximately $6,515 out of pocket every year just to maintain his family’s health coverage.[i]
While he has received modest wage increases over the past few years, they haven't kept pace with the rising costs of healthcare. On average, his salary has increased by 3% per year, but the cost of his family’s health insurance premiums has increased by 5% to 6% annually. This constant rise in healthcare costs stretches the family’s budget even thinner each year, leaving less money available for other necessities, like healthy food and after-school activities.
On top of these premiums, their high-deductible plan requires the family to pay $5,000 out of pocket before insurance will begin covering most services, including access to a nutritionist or weight management programs for their children. So, despite paying over $6,000 annually for health coverage, the family would need to come up with an additional $5,000 before any meaningful support for their children's health, such as consultations with a nutritionist, would be covered.
They choose to turn to cheaper food options—processed, caloric, and nutrient-poor—because that’s what they can afford, contributing to their children’s weight gain and overall health issues.This is the stark reality of healthcare for millions of American families today.
The cost of addressing the root causes of childhood obesity—nutritious meals, access to physical activity, and preventive healthcare—is out of reach for many, even when they’re insured. Meanwhile, pharmaceutical companies continue to rake in billions in record profits, pushing drugs that offer a temporary fix rather than sustainable, long-term solutions for our children’s health.[ii]
The irony here is that these children spend most of their day at school, where they receive two meals a day. But what are they served? Processed, sugary, and nutritionally inadequate meals that contribute to their weight gain rather than help curb it. Studies show that school lunches are often packed with refined carbs and sugars that spike blood sugar and leave kids hungry shortly after eating, reinforcing unhealthy eating patterns.
Now, enter the new frontier: weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, which are increasingly being prescribed to children as young as 10. These drugs, originally developed for type 2 diabetes, are now being pushed for weight loss in young people with little understanding of the long-term consequences. These injections cost anywhere from $1,300 to $1,500 per month per child, which means for one child, we’re talking about a whopping $18,000 per year.
Let’s stop here and do the math. What could $18,000 in taxpayer or family healthcare dollars accomplish if redirected toward providing nutritious meals for kids? The average cost to provide breakfast and lunch for a student in a U.S. public school is about $5 per day, which totals approximately $900 per child for an entire school year of breakfast and lunch. So for the cost of one child’s weight-loss medication for one year, we could instead feed 20 million children healthy, balanced meals for an entire school year.
That’s right—20 million children could be given two nutritious meals a day at school, meals that could help set them up for a healthier future, for the same cost as keeping one child on a weight-loss drug for a year.
But here's the kicker: healthy, nutritious food doesn't generate profits for pharmaceutical companies. No rebates, no multi-billion-dollar marketing campaigns, no patented medication. In fact, if children were fed well-balanced meals, we might not need these drugs at all. And think about the long term impacts to the pharmaceutical industry if we were to invest the health (rather than sickness) of the next generation.
Childhood obesity has significant long-term health and financial implications. It increases the risk of developing conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, asthma, and certain cancers later in life. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that obese children are more likely to become obese adults, leading to increased healthcare costs down the line. [iii]A report from the Brookings Institution estimates that the annual healthcare cost of treating an obese child is $14,000 to $19,000 more over their lifetime compared to their non-obese peers.[iv]
In contrast, investing in preventive measures—such as providing healthy meals at school—can have far-reaching benefits. Nutritious food helps children maintain a healthy weight, supports cognitive development, and reduces the likelihood of chronic diseases. Additionally, healthy eating habits learned in childhood often persist into adulthood, reducing the need for costly medical interventions like weight-loss drugs.
The healthcare system, however, isn't designed to solve problems—it’s designed to create long-term customers. And weight-loss drugs for children fit that model perfectly. These medications are intended for lifelong use. Studies show that once people stop taking them, they often regain the weight, leading to a vicious cycle of dependency.
The reality is that it’s much more profitable to prescribe expensive drugs than it is to invest in the root causes of childhood obesity—like improving access to nutritious food, creating safe spaces for physical activity, or educating families about health and wellness.
By considering mass coverage of obesity drugs for children while ignoring the structural issues that contribute to their weight gain, we’re essentially opting for a “quick fix” that benefits pharmaceutical companies at the expense of the very children we claim to be helping. We need to ask ourselves: are we truly investing in our children’s future, or are we simply choosing the more profitable path for the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries?
If we care about the health of our kids, the solution isn’t found in a prescription bottle—it’s found in making healthy, nutritious food accessible for every child, regardless of their family’s income. Because ultimately, a nation that feeds its children well invests in a healthier, stronger future for everyone.
The recent announcement from the Biden administration to expand Medicare and Medicaid coverage for weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic is a troubling sign of misplaced priorities. While millions of Americans struggle to afford basic healthcare, this proposal could funnel billions of taxpayer dollars to pharmaceutical companies, further entrenching a healthcare system designed for profits, not prevention.
Currently, Medicare does not cover weight-loss drugs unless prescribed for diabetes or related conditions, and the administration's plan could extend access to an estimated 3.4 million beneficiaries. While supporters argue this move addresses the growing obesity epidemic, the Congressional Budget Office estimates this expansion could cost $35 billion by 2034—an extraordinary price tag for drugs that research shows are often discontinued before achieving clinically meaningful results. Moreover, as the White House embraces costly prescriptions, it continues to ignore the foundational issues contributing to obesity: poor nutrition, lack of access to healthy food, and insufficient investment in preventive healthcare.
This proposal reinforces the same flawed logic that led to weight-loss medications being prescribed to children as young as 10. These drugs, marketed as a solution to childhood obesity, carry staggering price tags of $18,000 per child annually. If this funding were redirected, it could feed 20 children balanced school meals for an entire year. Expanding Medicare coverage for GLP-1s risks amplifying the same missed opportunities, this time for adults: investing in temporary fixes over sustainable health strategies.
The irony is that these drugs are marketed as life-changing solutions, yet their long-term efficacy and safety remain uncertain. Studies already suggest that patients often regain weight after stopping treatment, underscoring the reality that these medications are designed for lifelong use. This model benefits pharmaceutical companies while leaving families and taxpayers footing the bill for recurring prescriptions that do little to address the root causes of obesity.
Even more troubling is the ripple effect this decision could have. Medicare's expanded coverage would likely pave the way for broader adoption by private insurers, employer-sponsored plans, and Medicaid programs, creating a cascade of escalating healthcare costs. Meanwhile, the very children who could benefit most from nutritious meals, education about healthy habits, and safe spaces for physical activity are left behind—victims of a healthcare system that invests in treatments over prevention.
By focusing on weight-loss drugs instead of foundational health interventions, we are choosing a path that prioritizes short-term solutions over long-term well-being. We are robbing future generations to pay for drugs that generate profits today but offer no guarantee of lasting health benefits tomorrow.
The Biden administration's decision is a stark reminder of where our healthcare system’s incentives lie. The next generation deserves better than to inherit the financial and health burdens created by the current system's profit-driven priorities.
[ii] https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/aug/07/novo-nordisk-cuts-profit-outlook-after-weaker-sales-of-weight-loss-drug-wegovy#:~:text=For%202024%20as%20a%20whole,from%2019%25%20to%2027%25.
[iii] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "Obesity and Overweight." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/index.html. Accessed September 23, 2024.
[iv] Brookings Institution. "Lifetime Costs of Childhood Obesity." The Brookings Institution, https://www.brookings.edu/research/lifetime-costs-of-childhood-obesity. Accessed September 23, 2024.
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