The North Carolina State Health Plan will no longer cover weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Saxenda, as of April 1st.
The governing board had decided last year to not cover any new prescriptions, but canceling coverage altogether for the drugs came in a close 5-4 vote yesterday, with state Treasurer Dale Folwell as chair.
The State Health Plan covered 25,000 prescriptions for weight-loss drugs to start the year. Some board members said covering the drugs was too much for the state health plan to pay.
For the most popular drug Wegovy, produced by Danish company Novo Nordisk, the state was paying $800 a month.
A board spokesperson said bringing the drugs back under coverage is not out of the question, as the state health plan is currently in negotiations with drug manufacturers.
