Anti-Obesity Drug Surge Puts Pressure on State Medicaid Programs

State Medicaid programs are under pressure to cover blockbuster anti-obesity medications as evidence of their effectiveness mounts, but policy analysts say broader access will depend on lower list prices and a boost in support from the federal government.

The number of anti-obesity medications reimbursed by state Medicaid programs increased by more than 7,600 in 2011 to roughly 108,000 in 2022, according to a study published Thursday by the medical journal JAMA and based on findings from researchers at the Program On Regulation, Therapeutics, And Law at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

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