States that do provide coverage have tried to manage costs by putting prescribing limits on the GLP-1s. There’s also some evidence that if Medicaid patients lose weight with the drugs, they’ll be healthier and less expensive to cover, said Tracy Zvenyach of Obesity Action, an advocacy group that urges states to provide coverage.

The decision counters a proposal by the Biden Administration to reimburse beneficiaries for the weight-loss medications.

The number of Americans taking cutting-edge weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound has skyrocketed in recent years, a new study says.