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Ky. (WKYT) – Eli Lilly, GlobalData and the Kentucky Medical Association held a panel discussion Tuesday at the Central Bank Center during the Southern Legislative Conference, focusing on the future of obesity care in Kentucky
Cory Meadows, deputy executive vice president of the Kentucky Medical Association, said obesity requires the same attention as other chronic conditions
“Obesity is a serious chronic condition and it needs to be treated as such,” Meadows said
Meadows said treatment begins with a conversation between a patient and their physician, but access to care remains a significant obstacle for many Kentuckians. He said Kentucky ranks seventh in the nation for obesity, and hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians on Medicaid are living with the disease
“We have a higher Medicaid population. And so that being the case, those who could most benefit from the drugs are having a hard time getting access to that drug. So access is very important,” Meadows said
Meadows said a federal program could help address the cost barrier
“Currently the federal government is offering a program called the Balance Initiative, which allows states to obtain GLP-1 drugs and anti-obesity drugs at a much lower cost. Because you know the debate is usually about how expensive these drugs are,” Meadows said
Shawn O’Neail of Eli Lilly, which manufactures some GLP-1 medications on the market, said the Balance Model is designed to pair GLP-1 medications with lifestyle and nutrition support
“The Balance Model provides predictability for states who want to bring Medicaid into accessing obesity medicines, and it provides an entry point for GLP-1s at $245,” O’Neail said
Tim Dall, executive director of GlobalData, said public perception of obesity is part of the challenge
“Many associations like the American Medical Association and others are calling for obesity to be treated like other diseases, but yet many people still view it as a lifestyle choice as opposed to a disease,” Dall said
The Southern Legislative Conference continues through Wednesday
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