Many observers and experts widely agree that the American healthcare system's status is one of the most unequal among developed nations. Americans are also well aware of the inequality in both access and treatment. Daily, millions of Americans grapple with physical challenges from obesity as well as its severe health implications. Moreover, those afflicted by obesity bear societal stigma, discrimination and financial hurdles, effects that fall disproportionately on communities of color who lack access to quality treatments.

A growing body of evidence has shown that we have effective tools for combating obesity and its related illness such as heart disease, heart attacks, diabetes and strokes. The FDA has approved AOMs for combating obesity, but policy has not kept pace, leaving communities of color and low-income Americans behind.

The numbers are stark. In all states and territories, more than 20% of adults are coping with obesity. This figure escalates dramatically within communities of color. Among Black adults alone, over 35% suffer from obesity in 48 states and the District of Columbia. The numbers among Hispanic adults are starker. In 49 states, two territories, and the District of Columbia, more than 30% of Hispanic adults across 27 states also struggle with obesity.

Systemic healthcare inequities disproportionately impact communities of color, intensifying their vulnerability to obesity-related illnesses. The elevated rates of this condition escalate their susceptibility to other severe chronic diseases. Compared with white counterparts, Black Americans exhibit a 77% higher likelihood in diabetes diagnosis, and Latino Americans face a disparity at 66%, a figure that emphasizes the way such ailments increase risks for life-threatening conditions like heart disease and stroke.

Various states, including South Carolina, grapple with over 35% of adults living with obesity; these figures exacerbate the inequities in obesity care. The issue compounds due to systemic disparities, thereby escalating the risk of severe chronic diseases for communities of color. Outdated policies deepen health disparities by prohibiting access to affordable care, a situation that acutely affects seniors who rely on Medicare for their essential healthcare more profoundly.

Urgent passage of legislation is necessary to acknowledge and treat obesity as a disease with equivalent urgency given to other life-threatening conditions. The current stance on Medicare coverage excludes safe, FDA-approved AOMs solely designed for reducing and combating obesity; this exclusion creates an essential barrier towards providing effective care.

Combating the obesity epidemic requires a dynamic, multifaceted and direct approach. The first step, which is also the easiest and most cost effective, is to expand access to AOMs, not only for combating obesity itself but also to reduce the rates of obesity related illnesses. Congressional leaders must urgently collaborate with the administration to update Medicare coverage policies; this will ensure accessibility of these life-saving medications through Medicare Part D.

Recognizing the urgency to treat obesity, advocate for legislative changes paves a pathway towards an equitable healthcare system, one which eliminates financial barriers and guarantees every American access to life-saving care. Our healthcare system must comprehensively address systemic inequity by tackling social determinants of health and bias, while ensuring equal access and affordability.