Voters in the states that will determine the outcome of the 2024 presidential contest overwhelmingly favor that anti-obesity medications be covered by Medicare and private insurance, according to a survey of 2,400 voters conducted on behalf of Consumer Action for a Strong Economy (CASE).
“These drugs are having the single biggest positive effect on healthcare and quality of life in the 21st century,” noted CASE Chairman Gerard Scimeca. “Our survey was intended to gauge Americans’ awareness and attitudes toward these drugs, and also collect voter sentiment on the role drugs such as these should have in formulating healthcare policy.”
With fewer than ten weeks to go before their votes determine the winners of this year’s presidential and congressional elections, Americans continue to place healthcare affordability and access as a top issue.
Among its findings, the survey found a full two-thirds (66%) of battleground state voters are more likely to support Congressional candidates who support anti-obesity medications being covered by Medicare, indicating the change would be smart policy and smart politics. Moreover, the survey showed that nearly two-thirds (65%) of these voters found it “unfair” that those using anti-obesity medications would have to stop receiving them when they enroll in Medicare, unless they could afford to pay for them themselves.
“Chronic conditions and mental health, both of which are tied to obesity, account for 90% of health care costs in the United States,” Scimeca said. “Meanwhile, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) continue to vilify the pharmaceutical pioneers trying to solve our nation’s health conditions, rather than working to ensure Americans have access to the treatments necessary to improve their health.”
In a recent editorial concerning the obesity crisis and access to anti-obesity medications, Scimeca wrote, “Instead of disincentivizing the widespread use of life-saving classes of medications like GLPs [Glucogen-like peptide (GLP) inhibitors], the [Biden] Administration should be focused on expanding Medicare and private plan eligibility for these and other life-saving – and long-term cost reducing – drugs.”
The online survey of 2,400 registered voters was conducted for CASE by Kellyanne Conway’s KAConsulting LLC. The survey included 400 registered voters per state in the battleground states of Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
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