Louisiana Can't Afford to Wait: We Need Medicaid Coverage for GLP-1 Obesity Treatments Now

Louisiana Can't Afford to Wait. We need Medicaid coverage for GLP-1 obesity treatments now.

By Dr. Katie Queen, MD

Every week in my clinic, I sit across from children — some as young as two years old — who are already living with a chronic disease called obesity. As a pediatrician and obesity medicine specialist, I care for children with high blood pressure, prediabetes, diabetes, sleep apnea and fatty liver disease. These are no longer only adult diseases. They can begin in childhood and follow patients throughout their lives.

Louisiana ranks among the worst states in the nation for both adult and childhood obesity. We have to do better.

That is why I stood before the Senate Health and Welfare Committee this spring to urge lawmakers to pass Senate Bill 433, and why I am asking every Louisianan who cares about the health of our state to support efforts to expand access to comprehensive obesity treatment.

For too long, obesity has been misunderstood as a failure of willpower. I once believed lifestyle change alone could solve it. But after studying obesity medicine in depth, I learned what science has shown for decades: obesity is a complex chronic disease driven by genetic, biological, psychosocial and environmental factors.

The good news is that we have evidence-based treatment options. These include intensive lifestyle and nutrition counseling, obesity medications and, in some cases, metabolic and bariatric surgery. Because obesity is complex and chronic, it is often not solved by diet and exercise alone. For many patients, medications such as GLP-1 receptor agonists are a medically necessary part of comprehensive obesity care.

Cost is a reasonable concern. But the conversation around the cost of these medications has often been misleading. The argument that GLP-1 medications are too expensive to cover for obesity ignores both medical evidence and financial reality. Obesity is a leading driver of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, liver disease and other serious conditions — all of which our state is already paying to treat.

The 2025 Louisiana Obesity Task Force Report on Care, Cost and Value reported that obesity costs Louisiana approximately $13 billion each year in direct and indirect costs. In plain terms, we are already paying for this disease. We are just paying for the complications instead of investing in treatment that addresses the root cause.

While GLP-1 medications have been expensive, costs are changing, and federal efforts could help Louisiana afford Medicaid coverage. By working with drug manufacturers or through federal CMS programs such as the Balance Program, our state may be able to access these medications at a lower cost. I am grateful that Medicaid and LDH leadership are working to improve access while limiting cost.

I am also encouraged by the champions in the Legislature who have taken up the fight against Louisiana's obesity crisis. Senate Bill 433, sponsored by Senator Gerald Boudreaux, is an important first step. If passed and funded, it would expand access to obesity medications for people with Louisiana Medicaid. I am grateful to the legislators and state leaders who have listened, including Senator Cameron Henry, Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, Senator Royce Duplessis, Secretary of Health Bruce Greenstein, Louisiana Medicaid Director Seth Gold, Surgeon General Dr. Evelyn Griffin and Medicaid pharmacy leadership.

When I testified, I asked that the bill include all FDA-approved ages. The Senate Health and Welfare Committee listened. This matters because obesity medications are FDA-approved for adolescents as young as 12 and are a critical part of comprehensive treatment for many children.

I became a pediatrician because I believe every child deserves the chance to be the healthiest version of themselves possible. In Louisiana, no one should lack access to evidence-based care for any chronic disease, including obesity.

The fact that we must legislate coverage for obesity medication is frustrating. We do not legislate coverage for diabetes or hypertension medications. But if legislation is what it takes to ensure patients can access obesity treatment, then we must act.

Senate Bill 433 is a promising step, but passing a bill is not enough. It must be funded, or it will become another well-intentioned law sitting on a shelf.

I urge our legislators: do not let budget concerns stand in the way of common sense, medical evidence or the health of Louisiana's children. Treating obesity is both a public health necessity and a financial imperative. We are already paying for the complications of untreated obesity. Now is the time to invest in treatment, prevention and the future of Louisiana's people.

Dr. Katie Queen, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician and obesity medicine specialist. She is the Medical Director of the FMOL Health Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health Weight and Nutrition Center in Baton Rouge and practices general pediatrics at Our Lady of the Angels in Bogalusa. She serves as President of the Louisiana Obesity Society, the Vice President of the Louisiana AAP and co-leads the Louisiana AAP chapter committee on obesity and nutrition. She was born and raised in Louisiana, and is a proud graduate of LSU Medical School and LSU Pediatrics, where she holds an academic appointment of associate clinical professor.