In States That Won't Pay for Obesity Drugs, ‘They May as Well Have Never Been Created'

Disparities in Access to Weight-Loss Medications in West Virginia #

A family physician and obesity specialist in Wyoming County, West Virginia, expressed frustration regarding the limited access to weight-loss medications for her patients. Around 25% of her patients could benefit from GLP-1s, including drugs like Ozempic, Zepbound, and Mounjaro. However, the lack of insurance coverage and high costs prevent most people from affording these medications. West Virginia’s Public Employees Insurance Agency recently canceled a pilot program that covered weight-loss drugs, adding to the disparities between those who can afford treatment and those who cannot. This issue exists in other states as well, as they grapple with how far to extend coverage for weight-loss medications.