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This past year, lawmakers in the Delaware Valley pursued changes to health care policies and regulations that will expand access to prescription drug savings, ensure coverage for breast cancer imaging, reaffirm lead testing requirements, increase breastfeeding support in prisons and more.
here are some new health care laws coming to Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware that will be in place or take effect in 2026.
Pennsylvania
Medicaid coverage for weight loss medication
The Pennsylvania state budget increases funding in several areas, but will cut costs by limiting coverage for glucagon-like peptide-1 drugs such as Wegovy and Zepbound for people in the Medicaid insurance program beginning Jan. 1.
The state’s Medicaid program, called Medical Assistance, will no longer cover GLP-1 drugs solely for obesity and weight loss, but will continue to do so for people with diabetes and other health conditions.
Pennsylvania started paying for GLP-1 drugs for obesity in 2023. But the cost to the state rose as an increasing number of enrollees obtained prescriptions.
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