Low-Income Pennsylvanians Could Lose Access to Weight-Loss Drugs as Harrisburg Searches for Savings
- Pennsylvania plans to end coverage of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs under Senate benefits starting July 1, 2025, amid rising costs.
- This move follows rapidly increasing expenditures on GLP-1s, with $222 million spent in 2022 and $650 million to cover 70,000 recipients in 2024.
- The Shapiro administration plans to limit Medicaid coverage of weight-loss medications to individuals who meet specific BMI thresholds or have certain long-term health issues, such as hypertension or cardiovascular disease, that necessitate weight reduction.
- State Rep. Arvind Venkat criticized the restrictions saying they will force patients to suffer serious medical harm before qualifying, and he introduced a bipartisan bill for price negotiation with manufacturers.
- Lawmakers differ on solutions, with Senate Republicans supporting cuts while some House members favor proactive obesity treatment and negotiating lower drug prices to maintain access.
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11 Articles
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Weight-loss drug access could be in question in Pa.
HARRISBURG — Low-income Pennsylvanians could lose access to medical coverage for popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy as state lawmakers search for savings in this year’s state budget talks. ...


Low-Income Pennsylvanians Could Lose Access to Weight-Loss Drugs as Harrisburg Searches for Savings
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — Low-income Pennsylvanians could lose access to medical coverage for popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy as state lawmakers search for savings in this year’s state budget talks. But while there’s…
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