AS A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT specializing in obesity medicine, the recent announcement by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts that it plans to discontinue coverage for anti-obesity medications hit close to home.
Effective January 1, 2026, the state’s largest commercial insurer intends to stop covering vital medications like Wegovy, Saxenda, and Zepbound for obesity, impacting potentially tens of thousands of Massachusetts residents. This decision, though offering a rider option for large employers to provide coverage, is concerning and shortsighted for many.
My practice, based just over the border in New Hampshire, serves many Massachusetts patients covered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. I’ve already begun difficult conversations with individuals who achieved life-changing health improvements thanks to these GLP-1 medications, patients who are now facing uncertainty and the potential reversal of their progress…