Tell Ohio Lawmakers to Improve Coverage for Obesity Medications

Background: People affected by the disease of obesity in Ohio face unnecessary barriers to care due to an outdated policy in the Ohio Administrative Code (§5160-9-03) that prohibits Medicaid coverage of obesity medications. While Ohio Medicaid covers metabolic and bariatric surgery, it does not cover U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved medications—limiting treatment options for patients and their healthcare providers.

Obesity is a complex, chronic disease that requires comprehensive, evidence-based care. Removing this outdated restriction would not require legislative action or have an immediate fiscal impact. It would allow the Ohio Department of Medicaid to evaluate coverage for these medications and negotiate costs, helping expand access to care and improve health outcomes across the state.

Read more about the issue: Ohio is foolish not to cover cost of obesity drugs like Ozempic | Opinion

Take Action Now: Urge Ohio leaders to remove this barrier and ensure people can access the full range of evidence-based obesity treatment options.

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