Weight loss drugs too costly for Medicaid patients

For 14 years, Jesse’s mind spiraled. So did his weight. The medications he took for schizophrenia drove his weight up until he nearly hit the 300-pound mark.

His mom wanted to get him on a weight-loss drug like Trulicity or Ozempic. But in Arizona, as in most states, Medicaid doesn’t cover GLP-1s for obesity alone.

Eventually, his blood sugar spiked. For the 32-year-old from Glendale, the Type 2 diabetes diagnosis was cause for celebration. Medicaid would now cover the prescription.

In less than a year on Trulicity, Jesse shed 15 pounds. His blood sugar plummeted. But with the diabetes under control, he no longer qualified for coverage of the drug that made him healthier.

“It’s like a tug of war, like, ‘OK, I’m going to wait for you to get sick again to give it (coverage) back to you,”