Chances are that you or someone you care about is part of the growing number of Americans who are using GLP-1 drugs to treat obesity, diabetes or other health conditions. If you’re trying to lose weight so that obesity doesn’t lead to other serious health conditions, GLP-1s like Ozempic or Wegovy have been nothing short of a miracle drug. But instead of making it easier for Granite Staters to access these life-changing medications, Governor Kelly Ayotte has found a way to make it harder.
Beginning this month, Ayotte eliminated Medicaid coverage of weight loss drugs for obesity. For Granite Staters on Medicaid — a program that provides health care to 186,000 people in every corner of our state — GLP-1s are going to be out of reach. While some Granite Staters with certain health conditions may maintain coverage, thousands are losing out.
Unfortunately, Governor Ayotte is being penny-wise and pound foolish.
If obesity is left untreated by these drugs, Granite Staters will be at risk of developing more serious health complications down the line — like liver disease and diabetes. Without access to these medications early on, women — who comprise over half of Medicaid recipients here in New Hampshire — would be more likely to develop breast cancer and fertility issues.
Any short-term savings will be dwarfed by expensive hospitalizations and costly medical treatment. Not only will this short-sighted change hurt vulnerable Granite Staters, but it will also increase long-term health care costs. Governor Ayotte is leaving New Hampshire taxpayers on the hook for a much larger bill.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the only reckless and expensive health care cut from New Hampshire Republicans. Last year, Kelly Ayotte signed into law a budget passed by her GOP allies in the House and Senate that slashes proven health care programs and imposes Medicaid income taxes on families already stretched thin as prices for groceries and housing climb.
If our state claims it can’t afford to treat health conditions that lead to more expensive illnesses, then we certainly shouldn’t be diverting taxpayer dollars for an expensive $167 million private school voucher scheme that funds Legos, pianos and ski lessons.
Every single Granite Stater deserves affordable and quality health care, which is why I’ve introduced the Lower Cost of Health Care Act this session. It would repeal the Medicaid income tax that Republicans passed in the recent state budget and put a lid on the amount of co-pays Granite Staters can be charged, so that basic health coverage doesn’t break the bank.
I’ll always work with anyone on solutions that lower the cost of health care and make it more affordable for New Hampshire families. But I will never stop fighting against harmful policies that rip health care from those who can least afford it. Republicans should reverse course this session before these cuts devastate New Hampshire even more than they already have.
Cindy Rosenwald of Nashua is a New Hampshire state senator.