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Why Blue Cross Blue Shield is rolling back coverage of GLP-1 weight loss drugs in Massachusetts
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TGIF! It's looking like near-perfect weather for runners and spectators at Monday's Boston Marathon, according to meteorologist Danielle Noyes. Get hyped for the big day by brushing up on these 26.2 facts about the Boston Marathon over the weekend.
Now, let's get to the news:
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, the state's largest commercial health insurer, is rolling back its coverage of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy for weight loss. Amy McHugh, a spokesperson for BCBS, told WBUR's John Bender that the insurance company would continue covering GLP-1 medication for subscribers with diabetes. Employers that provide their workers with health insurance can also choose to pay extra if they'd like to include GLP-1 for weight loss coverage in their health plans — or opt out entirely. But otherwise, the insurer's standard plans won't cover GLP-1s for customers just using the drugs for weight loss.
- Why? Rising costs. "Drug makers' prices for these medications are putting a big burden on our employer customers," said McHugh. Around 50,000 of BCBS' 3 million members were reportedly taking a GLP-1 as of Jan. 1, 2025, and McHugh says about 2,000 new members start a GLP-1 regimen every month. "If we didn't make any changes, we'd be looking at spending close to a billion dollars on these medications in 2026," McHugh added.
- Go deeper: As WBUR's Priyanka Dayal McCluskey recently reported, the $200 million that BCBS spent on GLP drugs in 2024 was a main driver of why health care premiums for all customers soared this year.
- When will the changes take effect? McHugh told John in the coming months, employer customers of BCBS will choose whether or not they'd like to include GLP-1 coverage in their plans. Coverage changes will then take effect upon health plan renewal, beginning in January 2026.
- Meanwhile: Point32Health, which owns Harvard Pilgrim and Tufts health insurers, said yesterday it will mostly limit its GLP-1 coverage for weight loss to the brand Zepbound starting in July. That means most customers taking Wegovy and Saxenda for weight loss will be required to switch.
- PSA: As high-demand GLP-1 drugs become harder to get, the FDA is warning consumers that counterfeit Ozempic may be in circulation.
Morgue case updates: Ex-Harvard morgue manager Cedric Lodge has agreed to plead guilty to stealing body parts from cadavers and selling them over state lines. Lodge, 57, was arrested in 2023 along with five others he allegedly conspired with to sell heads, brains, skin and bones to customers in and out of state. He faces one count of interstate transport of stolen goods, for which the maximum penalty is 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
- Revisit the case: WBUR reporter Ally Jarmanning dove into the nuances of this gruesome national network in "Last Seen: Postmortem." Listen to the full podcast here.
Taking off: Massport’s board signed off yesterday on a $425 million plan to revamp how you get to Logan Airport’s Terminal E, the primary terminal for international flights. The glow-up includes a big new parking garage with a pedestrian bridge to central parking and redesigned roads with HOV lanes. The Boston Business Journal has more details here (heads up, there's a paywall).
- Brace yourself: Construction and road closures are slated to begin this fall. Officials aim to finish the entire project by 2028.
Up next: Boston has chosen its next poet laureate: Emmanuel Oppong-Yeboah. The Ghanaian-American grew up in the city and currently works as a librarian at the Joseph Lee School in Dorchester.
- Go deeper: WBUR's Maddie Browning spoke to Oppong-Yeboah about what they hope to accomplish during their four-year term, which begins in July.
Meanwhile at City Hall: The Boston City Council could vote today on whether to bypass a potential summer special election to replace Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson — and instead wait to fill her seat in the November election. The special meeting comes after Councilor Erin Murphy blocked an immediate vote on President Ruthzee Louijeune's proposal Wednesday.
P.S.— To help more residents get Real IDs before the deadline, what is the RMV now offering? Take our Boston News Quiz and test your knowledge of this week's stories.
