John Fetterman admits to using Mounjaro as he makes passionate plea about ‘game changer’ weight loss drug
WASHINGTON, DC: Sen John Fetterman recently revealed that he used Mounjaro and also made a plea about the "game changer" weight loss drug.
Fetterman told the New York Times that he started using the weight loss drug in 2024 and though he lost 20 pounds on the shot, slimming down wasn't his goal.
John Fetterman opens up about benefits of weight loss drugs
John Fetterman suffered a stroke in 2022. Following that, the senator "was interested in studies showing (Mounjaro) could significantly reduce the risk of major cardiac events."
He wrote in the Times op-ed, "Even though I started taking it for my heart health, I've been struck by how much better it has made me feel across the board."
The senator mentioned that aches and pains "have vanished" and he feels "a decade younger, clearer-headed, and more optimistic" than he had for years, according to Daily Mail.
He said, "And it’s not just me — millions of Americans have experienced similar life-changing benefits, regardless of why they started on these medications."
He also added that drugs like Mounjaro and Ozempic are "prohibitively expensive" without insurance, and cost as much as $1,000 every month.
Meanwhile, Fetterman urged President Donald Trump to reverse his decision to pull a Biden-era proposal that would have made GLP-1 medications more affordable for all Americans, and called the decision "a mistake".
He also urged Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr not to "prioritize healthier diets over medication" as he has proposed restricting access to weight loss drugs.
The senator wrote, "These drugs, like Ozempic and Wegovy, can be a game changer. I know firsthand. It should be simple: Our government should be in the business of making lifesaving medication accessible and affordable."
Fetterman praised the benefits of weight loss drugs and said, "I've been struck by how much better (Mounjaro) has made me feel across the board. It’s made a significant impact on my overall health. Aches, pains, and stiffness have vanished."
He added, "Physically, I feel a decade younger, clearer-headed, and more optimistic than I’ve been in years. As far as side effects, I've also lost around 20 pounds."
"I'm just a guy who has benefitted from these medications and wants to make sure that anyone else who could benefit from that can access them too," the senator mentioned.
"I ask the Trump administration and Mr Kennedy to reverse course and put this rule into place," Fetterman concluded.
Donald Trump scraps Joe Biden's plan to cover weight loss drugs under Medicare and Medicaid
On April 4, President Trump's administration stated that they’re not buying into former president Joe Biden’s billion-dollar bet on drugs like Ozempic.
In November 2024, the Biden administration formed a plan to bypass a long-standing rule that forbids Medicare’s Part D from covering drugs used for "weight loss".
They had planned to open the floodgates and let millions of Americans tap into Medicare and Medicaid to get access to drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro.
They claimed that these medications weren’t just about losing weight but about treating obesity and its side effects, such as diabetes, heart problems, sleep apnea, and others.
Interestingly, the Trump administration foiled the Biden administration’s plan as part of a 438-page regulation update that tweaks how beneficiaries get drug and private medical coverage, according to The New York Times.
However, the final document did not explain why these weight loss drugs should remain off the Medicare menu.
Catherine Howden, a spokeswoman for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), informed the outlet that the agency believes expanding coverage just "is not appropriate at this time".
Moreover, she added that CMS "may consider future policy options".
