At a Sept. 30 Beacon Hill briefing, Martin Luther King III warned that Massachusetts’ move to stop covering GLP-1 drugs for weight loss across major public insurance programs could deepen health disparities, GBH and State House News Service reported. Quoting his father’s line that injustice in health is “the most shocking and the most inhumane,” King said breakthrough drugs mean little if only people who can pay cash can use them.

MassHealth dropped GLP-1 weight-loss coverage in the fiscal 2027 budget as the Healey administration sought to contain surging drug costs. In February, the Group Insurance Commission board voted to end weight-loss GLP-1 coverage for more than 460,000 public employees and retirees after being told to cut roughly $120 million; about 22,000 GIC members were taking the drugs for weight loss at a reported $46 million cost. Commercial plans and Health Connector offerings have made similar cuts. The GIC later needed a $300 million emergency infusion partly driven by exploding GLP-1 costs.

Rep. Marjorie Decker argued the drugs treat obesity as a chronic disease with comorbidities and said budget “bean counters” skipped middle-ground options such as higher copays or comorbidity-based eligibility. HHS Secretary Kiame Mahaniah previously said coverage might return in a few years if prices crash. Novo Nordisk has said it will lower list prices for Wegovy and Ozempic to $675 starting Jan. 1, and federal TrumpRx announcements have touted lower cash prices — figures advocates say the state could harness if it chose.

What we know:
MassHealth and GIC dropped GLP-1 weight-loss coverage; King and lawmakers are publicly pressing for restoration amid equity and budget arguments.

What we don’t:
Whether GIC or the legislature will reopen the benefit before January price changes take effect.