Bill > SB00982

This bill proposes to eliminate the current requirement that Medicaid and HUSKY B (a Connecticut state health insurance program for children and pregnant women) cover prescription weight loss drugs and bariatric surgery for their beneficiaries. By removing this mandate, the bill would give the state more flexibility in determining what medical treatments will be covered under these healthcare programs. Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that provides health coverage to eligible low-income individuals, and in this case, the bill specifically targets weight-related medical interventions. Bariatric surgery refers to surgical procedures designed to help people with severe obesity lose weight, such as gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy, and prescription weight loss drugs are medications designed to help individuals reduce body weight. The proposed change would mean that recipients of Medicaid and HUSKY B in Connecticut would no longer be guaranteed coverage for these specific weight loss treatments, potentially requiring patients to pay out-of-pocket or seek alternative methods of weight management.

Health and Social Services

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=SB00982&which_year=2025