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Maryland's push to offer weight loss medications to Medicaid patients starting in 2026 has sparked a heated debate about the state's role in funding these treatments.
With obesity affecting over 40% of U.S. adults, including many Maryland residents, the potential to access medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound could be life-changing for those who cannot afford them.
Maryland Medicaid's weight loss bill
Currently, the cost of these medications exceeds $1,000 per month, making them inaccessible for many, especially those without insurance or under Medicaid.
The proposed bill, Senate Bill 876, would allow Medicaid patients to access these drugs, with a projected start date of July 2026.
However, the bill faces a significant challenge: an estimated cost of over $200 million, which is a considerable burden in light of the state's budget shortfall.
The Maryland Department of Health's estimate suggests that 15% of Medicaid patients would be eligible for the drugs, at a yearly cost of $225 million.
However, Senator Steve Hershey, the bill's sponsor, disputes these figures, arguing that only 3% of patients would likely use the medications.
Hershey believes this would be a far more manageable expense and points out that other states have seen lower utilization rates.
Advocates of the bill argue that the medications are not only effective but could ultimately save money by preventing more expensive health issues, like diabetes and cancer, in obese individuals.
"Obesity is not a personal failing. It is a chronic disease,"Hershey emphasized, underscoring the need for early intervention rather than waiting for severe health complications.
Critics of the current system argue that Maryland Medicaid currently covers the high costs of treating obesity-related health issues, like dialysis and emergency surgeries, but not the preventive treatments that could mitigate these outcomes.
As Hershey noted, "We cover the expensive consequences...but we don't cover the treatments that could prevent those outcomes in the first place."
As lawmakers weigh the bill, it's clear that the question isn't whether Maryland will spend money on obesity, it already does.
The real question is whether it will choose to spend that money more wisely, potentially saving lives and reducing future healthcare costs.
The debate is ongoing, but with the bill's sponsorship and the of medical professionals, there's a strong chance Maryland could take a significant step toward combating the obesity crisis in a more proactive, cost-effective way.