# More states drop GLP-1 weight loss drugs from Medicaid as costs soar  
**Published:** 2026-05-03T09:45:58.000Z  
**Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/03/repub/more-states-consider-dropping-glp-1-weight-loss-drugs-from-medicaid/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/more-states-drop-glp-1-weight-loss-drugs-from-medicaid-as-costs-soar

More states are reconsidering expensive coverage of popular obesity medications as budget pressures mount, according to a [report from the Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/03/repub/more-states-consider-dropping-glp-1-weight-loss-drugs-from-medicaid/) highlighting a national trend.

[Only 13 state Medicaid programs are covering GLP-1 drugs for obesity treatment this year, down from 16 last year](https://www.kff.org/medicaid/medicaid-coverage-of-and-spending-on-glp-1s/), as Massachusetts and Rhode Island join several states in considering or implementing coverage cuts. [Medicaid programs in California, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and South Carolina have eliminated coverage of the drugs for weight loss due to expense](https://www.kff.org/medicaid/medicaid-coverage-of-and-spending-on-glp-1s/).

The expensive medications — including Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound — have skyrocketed in popularity as evidence of their weight-loss effectiveness spreads. [Gross spending on Medicaid prescriptions for GLP-1s has increased from around $1 billion in 2019 to almost $9 billion in 2024](https://www.kff.org/medicaid/medicaid-coverage-of-and-spending-on-glp-1s/).

Yet the financial burden is creating a patchwork coverage landscape across the nation. In Massachusetts, the governor's proposed fiscal 2028 budget would exclude GLP-1 medications for weight loss alone from MassHealth, though the state would continue covering the drugs for diabetes. Rhode Island's governor has also proposed removing GLP-1 coverage from the state's Medicaid program for weight loss treatment.

Some states are implementing restricted eligibility to curb costs. Michigan has limited coverage to patients with morbidly obesity rather than general obesity or overweight, a move expected to save an estimated $240 million. Louisiana is debating whether to limit coverage to enrollees with comorbidities such as prediabetes, hypertension, or cardiovascular disease.

North Carolina offered a brief exception, reinstating coverage in mid-December after dropping it in October. [The 13 states currently covering the drugs for obesity treatment include Delaware, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin](https://www.kff.org/medicaid/medicaid-coverage-of-and-spending-on-glp-1s/).

The coverage question comes as drug manufacturers begin addressing cost concerns. [Novo Nordisk announced in February it would reduce GLP-1 list prices to $675 per month in 2027](https://www.kff.org/medicaid/medicaid-coverage-of-and-spending-on-glp-1s/). Federal initiatives are also emerging, with [the BALANCE model set to launch in Medicaid beginning May 2026, allowing state Medicaid agencies to participate in federally negotiated pricing](https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/innovation-models/balance).

Despite growing coverage gaps, [almost 40% of adults and a quarter of children with Medicaid have obesity and may benefit from having access to the drugs](https://www.kff.org/medicaid/medicaid-coverage-of-and-spending-on-glp-1s/), according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

## Sources

- [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/03/repub/more-states-consider-dropping-glp-1-weight-loss-drugs-from-medicaid/)
- [Kaiser Family Foundation analysis of Medicaid GLP-1 coverage and spending](https://www.kff.org/medicaid/medicaid-coverage-of-and-spending-on-glp-1s/)
- [CMS BALANCE Model for GLP-1 coverage expansion](https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/innovation-models/balance)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Examiner, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/03/repub/more-states-consider-dropping-glp-1-weight-loss-drugs-from-medicaid/.