Senate Approves Bill to Increase Access to Preventative Care for Treatment of Chronic Obesity and Pre-Diabetes

Legislation would require insurers and Medicaid to cover bariatric surgery and FDA-approved anti-obesity medication

DENVER, CO – The Senate today approved Senators Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City, and Joann Ginal’s, D-Fort Collins, bill to increase access to preventative care for the treatment of obesity and pre-diabetes.

SB24-054, the Diabetes Prevention and Obesity Treatment Act, would require insurers and Medicaid to cover the treatment of chronic obesity and pre-diabetes. Covered treatments would include screenings, behavioral and lifestyle therapy, bariatric surgery, and FDA-approved anti-obesity medication, or semaglutide.

“For many people, it can take years of trial and error to find the right method to lose weight and keep it off,” Michaelson Jenet said. “I don’t want anyone else to face the kinds of obstacles I did in accessing the right treatment, and I don’t want anyone to face judgment due to the way they choose to live their life and seek care. With this bill, we have an opportunity to open up access to preventative care that can and will change lives, all while relieving stress on Colorado’s health care system.”

“Obesity-related conditions including heart disease, stroke, and diabetes are among the top causes of premature and preventable death,” said Ginal. “New weight loss medications like Ozempic or Wegovy offer a new lease on life to folks struggling to lose weight and get their health on track. If we are able to prevent diabetes or heart disease before it starts, we can save our health care system millions of dollars and help people live out their lives unburdened by avoidable and costly medical expenditures.”

Medication with the active ingredient semaglutide has been shown to be effective for weight loss. Since 2017, two semaglutide drugs have been approved for diabetes treatment: Ozempic and Rybelsus. In June of 2021, a third semaglutide medication was approved for weight loss management, Wegovy, which was further approved for reducing the risk of major cardiovascular events in patients with a history of heart disease in March of 2024.

SB24-054 now moves to the House for further consideration. Track the bill’s progress HERE.