Opinion/Guest column: Keep obesity meds within reach for all in MA
Michael Donnelly-Boylen
Worcester Telegram & Gazette
July 12, 2026, 5:00 p.m. ET
I am a lifelong Massachusetts resident. I remember our pride and celebration two decades ago when we became the first state to guarantee health insurance for almost everyone. In the years since, the commonwealth has prioritized closing health disparities in the spirit of that law, and our belief that each person has a right to access high-quality care
That is why – in a state where life expectancies from neighborhoods two miles apart differ by 23 years – restricting medications for people who have low incomes and are most affected by obesity is so alarming
Obesity is not someone’s failure. The American Medical Association and World Health Organization classify it as a chronic, metabolic disease. It can lead to heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, stroke and some cancers. GLP-1 medications are a breakthrough for patients who previously did not have the tools to address the biological causes of obesity
Ending coverage of these treatments for residents enrolled in MassHealth will have an outsized impact on communities of color who already face barriers to care. State data show that Black and Hispanic residents with health insurance report significantly lower rates of employer-sponsored insurance than those who are white. The Department of Public Health’s Massachusetts Health Data Tool estimates that obesity is most prevalent in these communities. Stark inequities for hospitalizations and severity of chronic diseases that are closely associated with obesity also exist across the commonwealth.
Furthermore, Massachusetts residents with lower incomes have greater challenges accessing affordable, healthy food. The low-cost, calorie-dense options families can turn to because of these barriers contribute to obesity and its complications
Removing treatment for obesity exacerbates these disparities, creating a tiered system where only those wealthy enough have continuity of care. Residents experiencing the bulk of Massachusetts’ affordability crisis are now forced off therapy, which will leave them at higher risk for their conditions worsening. Expensive hospitalizations and unnecessary visits to the emergency room will likely go up. If the state wants to bring down costs, it needs to look beyond this budget cycle and at the long-term health of people who finally have an answer to one of the country’s most common chronic diseases.
I credit GLP-1 medications with helping me toward a healthier life. I’ve lost more than 130 pounds and the Type 2 diabetes I was diagnosed with at 50 is in remission. I only wish I could have accessed these medications before I got so sick. Others should have that opportunity. Everything I tried for addressing my weight before taking GLP-1s did not work. For too long, the stigma associated with obesity in our health care system told me it was my fault, but the truth is, I deserved treatment for this disease. Everyone does.
Massachusetts residents contending with the greatest obstacles to care should not have those barriers amplified. Eliminating obesity treatment coverage represents a step backward for the commonwealth’s efforts to improve health equity. We are a state known for health care innovation, so surely MassHealth, local leaders and the Legislature can find ways to restore coverage and keep obesity medications within reach.
Michael Donnelly-Boylen is a patient advocate with the Obesity Action Coalition and a member of the American Diabetes Association’s Obesity & Weight Management Advisory Group
