Martin Luther King III joined Massachusetts lawmakers and health advocates this week to ask the state to bring back insurance coverage for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs after officials cut it to save money.

What this means for you

If you live in Massachusetts and relied on state insurance to help pay for drugs like Ozempic or Wegovy for weight loss, that coverage is gone for now. This fight is about whether the state will change course, and it could affect how much you pay for these drugs in the future. This site exists to explain stories like this in plain terms, because you should not need a dictionary to understand your own health coverage.

King spoke at a briefing on Beacon Hill. He quoted his father, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who once said that unfairness in health care is one of the most shocking kinds of unfairness. King said a medical breakthrough does not help people if they cannot get it.

The state made two separate cuts. MassHealth, which covers lower-income residents, dropped coverage for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs in its 2027 budget. The Group Insurance Commission, which covers more than 460,000 public employees and retirees, voted in February to do the same, even though some board members warned it could make health gaps worse and cost more later.

State Rep. Marjorie Decker said the state treated this as a money problem instead of a health problem. She said about 22,000 GIC members were taking these drugs for weight loss, costing $46 million total, and the agency had been told to cut $120 million in spending.

Health Secretary Kiame Mahaniah said in March he hopes coverage can return once drug prices drop. There are signs that could happen:

1. Novo Nordisk, the maker of Wegovy and Ozempic, plans to lower its list price to $675 starting January 1.
2. Former President Trump has announced deals that could bring some prices as low as $245 to $350 a month.
3. Cheaper pill versions of these drugs are now available, instead of only shots.

Decker said the state should have explored middle-ground options, like higher copays, instead of cutting coverage completely. She said patients and doctors should have been part of that decision, not just budget officials.

Obesity specialist Kelley Gregorovic said prices are already falling and the state has savings it could use if it chooses to restore coverage.

If you or someone you know is affected, contact your state representative and ask where they stand on restoring GLP-1 coverage through MassHealth or the GIC.