Finance Foggle

Trump Administration Weight Loss Drug Pilot: Medicare & Medicaid Coverage for Ozempic, Wegovy in 2026-2027 - GLP-1 Costs, State Participation & Obesity Treatment Policy Key Takeaways Medicare and Medicaid will launch voluntary pilot coverage for GLP-1 weight loss drugs ( Ozempic ,  Wegovy ,  Zepbound ,  Mounjaro ) starting 2026-2027 . The 5-year experiment requires participating plans to include structured diet/exercise coaching alongside medication . Current rules exclude weight loss drug coverage under Medicare, with limited Medicaid exceptions (13 states) . Annual costs per patient range $5,000-$7,000, projected Medicare spending could hit $35B by 2034 . Internal Trump administration conflict exists: CMS’s  Mehmet Oz  supports coverage, while HHS Secretary  Robert F. Kennedy Jr.  criticizes costs . The Policy Shift Hits Like a Diner Coffee at 3 AM Medicare, Medicaid plans to experiment with covering weight loss drugs The Trump administration...

Centene Q2 Loss Highlights Rising Costs Key Takeaways Centene posted a $253M Q2 loss , flipping from a $1.1B profit in 2024 . Medical cost ratio (MCR) surged to 93% , far exceeding Wall Street’s 89.3% forecast . Stock plunged 14.5%  premarket, hitting a decade low and dragging down peers Elevance Health and Molina Healthcare . Loss drivers : Medicaid behavioral/home health costs, ACA risk-adjustment revenue cuts, and high-cost drugs . Corrective action : Premium hikes for 2026 ACA plans in "substantial majority" of states . The Earnings Shock Centene bled red. $253 million vanished in Q2. Last year? A crisp $1.1 billion profit . Premium revenue climbed to $42.5 billion, up 18%, but medical costs devoured it . The street expected an $0.86 per share profit. Instead, Centene coughed up a $0.16 loss . Analysts stared at their screens. Julie Utterback at Morningstar called the 93% medical cost ratio "surprisingly high" . All business lines burned. The ACA marketplace? Th...