Rhode Island Medicaid members who take Wegovy, Zepbound, Saxenda, or the new pill Foundayo only for weight loss can no longer get those drugs through the program as of Oct. 1, 2026. In a memo to providers, the state's Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) said members using the drugs for weight loss "may no longer be able to obtain them through Medicaid beginning October 1, 2026."
Rhode Island Medicaid paid for 24,971 GLP-1 prescriptions for obesity in fiscal year 2025, Rhode Island Current reported. That count includes refills and changes in brand or dose, so it does not reflect the number of individual patients. Without coverage, the drugs carry list prices that can top $1,000 a month.
