(Indianapolis, IN) - The menu for Medicaid-covered medications in Indiana will soon include GLP-1s.

 

Recently Governor Mike Braun directed the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) to opt into the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation’s BALANCE demonstration. BALANCE (Better Approaches to Lifestyle and Nutrition for Comprehensive hEalth) is a federal pilot program targeting obesity.

 

Soon certain Indiana Medicaid recipients will be eligible for GLP-1s, a popular hormone treatment that regulates blood sugar, slows digestion, and controls appetite. GLP-1s treat conditions like Type 2 diabetes and support weight management.

 

"Obesity is a serious, chronic disease, and addressing it can open the door to better health," said David A. Ricks, Chair and CEO of Eli Lilly and Company, citing a statistic that 71% of adult Hoosiers are living with obesity or overweight. “This toll on our state's health is also a toll on our economy,” he added, “costing an estimated $10.7 billion a year, or nearly 2% of state GDP.”

 

Under the terms of the partnership, pharmaceutical manufacturers, including Indiana’s own Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, will make select GLP-1 medications available to Indiana’s Medicaid program for $245 per member per month, which will reduce to a little over $85 per month after a federal contribution is applied.

 

“Indiana is proud to expand access to essential treatment for eligible Hoosiers,” said Braun. “This agreement reflects our commitment to Make Indiana Healthy Again by pursuing practical solutions that increase healthier lives." His administration said further details will be released soon.