The Endocrine Society continues to advocate for expanded access to anti-obesity medications (AOM). This week, RAND released a study that found that anti-obesity medications represent a rapidly growing share of prescriptions in the U.S. making up approximately 7% of all prescriptions. Data also suggests that 1 in 8 adults have used a GLP-1 for weight loss or an associated chronic condition. While data shows that more people are taking these medications to manage their obesity, the federal government continues to experience challenges expanding access to these medications to people on Medicare. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced this week that it is delaying the implementation of the Medicare Part D portion of the Better Approaches to Lifestyle and Nutrition for Comprehensive hEalth (BALANCE) Model. The model, which will provide coverage of GLP-1 medications for weight loss to some Medicare beneficiaries, was originally scheduled to launch in 2027. While the model is delayed for Medicare Part D plans, it is still expected to launch for State Medicaid plans later this year. The agency also announced the creation of a temporary bridge program designed to provide GLP-1 coverage to certain Part D enrollees while they wait for the new BALANCE model to be developed. The Society will continue to work with CMS on the development of these programs.
We also will continue to educate Members of Congress and congressional staff about obesity. Earlier this year, we hosted a congressional briefing on Capitol Hill to discuss obesity and its impact on liver disease. We will also release an updated version of our Obesity Playbook later this year. The Playbook is an educational resource guide to educate policymakers on the issue of obesity.
Congressional deliberations about FY 2027 funding for research and health priorities are in full swing and the Endocrine Society continues to advocate for our policy priorities in many ways including meetings with congressional offices, online grassroots advocacy campaigns, feedback on proposed legislation, comments on proposed rules and regulations, and education of policymakers on our issues.
This week, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services, completed a whirlwind tour, testifying in seven congressional hearings in the span of one week. Members of Congress pressed the Secretary about his public health priorities and budget justification for fiscal year 2027 (FY2027) for agencies that reside within Health and Human Services which includes the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Secretary received praise for his work on improving nutrition for Americans and was also challenged on a several health issues ranging from healthcare costs to vaccine misinformation to proposed cuts for biomedical research funding. Our advocacy, which has included a recent researcher Hill Day and fact sheets on federal funding of NIH and other programs provided congressional offices with information to ask questions and seek clarifying information.
During these hearings, it is important to note that both Republican and Democratic Members expressed their support for biomedical research. Members of Congress also expressed concerns we had shared with their offices about proposals to reorganize programs and agencies, the delayed disbursement of grant funding, reduced funding opportunity announcements, the repeated attempt to cap indirect costs at 15%, and the impact that cutting NIH funding would have for early career researchers. Senator Bill Cassidy, Chair of the HELP Committee, started his committee’s hearing noting the “need to invest heavily in NIH” while ensuring greater access to the products of NIH-funded research. Other Senators at the HELP Committee hearing expressed concern about cancelled grants related to maternal health, vaccine research, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. In several hearings, Members of Congress reiterated our concerns to the Secretary about losing America’s lead in biomedical research progress and the recruitment of scientists to other countries for more steady support of their training and research efforts.
The Secretary was also pressed about several health priority areas that the Endocrine Society advocates for:
Diabetes - Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), who is the co-chair of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, asked about funding for critical diabetes research programs supported by the Society. Senator Shaheen pressed Secretary Kennedy on why the Administration cancelled funding for the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study (DPPOS) last year. She also asked him to explain why the Administration is proposing a 70% cut to the Special Diabetes Program (SDP) in his proposed budget. We are very pleased that Secretary Shaheen talked about the importance of diabetes research. We worked closely with her last year to restore the DPPOS funding after it was abruptly canceled and continue to work with her and the Congressional Diabetes Caucus to ensure Congress reauthorizes the Special Diabetes Program before the program expires on December 31.
Women’s health - Advocating for research on women’s health and protecting access to care for women are two important priorities for the Endocrine Society and we have been working with congressional offices to champion these issues. During the hearings, several Members of Congress made it clear that protecting women’s health is important to them. Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) questioned Secretary Kennedy about the decline in funded research projects that included the word “women” in their grants and raised concerns about the impact this will have on women’s health research – an issue we spoke with her about during our Hill Day.
TAKE ACTION: These recent congressional hearings highlight that advocacy matters and that our work is having influence. The Endocrine Society is urging Congress to provide at least $51.303 billion for NIH for FY27 and to ensure that funds are spent on medical research as Congress intends. We are also urging Congress to support women’s health research through the appropriations process. We have submitted testimony to the House Appropriations Committee in support of funding for NIH, CDC, and Title X and will be submitting similar testimony to the Senate Appropriations Committee in the coming weeks. Constituent voices shined through in these hearings. Congress needs to hear from you about the importance of funding biomedical research. Please add your voice by participating in our online campaign to increase NIH funding.
We rely on your voice to advocate for our policy priorities. Join us to show our strength as a community that cares about endocrinology. Contact your US representatives or European Members of Parliament through our online platform. Take action and make a difference today.
