Medicaid reimbursement for prescription weight-loss drugs
February 1, 2001
State
Xenical ® (Orlistat)
Meridia ® (Sibutramine)
Phentermine
Prior Authorization
Required
Alabama
+
-
-
+
Alaska
+b
-
-
+
Arizona
MCO
MCO
MCO
MCO
Arkansas
+b
-
-
+
California
+
+
+
+
Colorado
+
-
-
+
Connecticut
+b
-
-
Delaware
+
+
+
+
Florida
+c
-
-
+
Georgia
+b
-
-
+
Hawaii
+
+
+
+
Idaho
+b
-
-
+
Illinois
-
-
-
Indiana
-
-
-
Iowa
+
-
-
Kansas
+
+
-
+
Kentucky
+
+
+
+
Louisiana
+
-
-
Maine
+
+
+
+
Maryland
+
-
-
Massachusetts
+
+
+
+
Michigan
+
-
-
+
Minnesota
+
-
-
Mississippi
+
+
+
Missouri
+b
-
-
+
Montana
+
+
+
+
Nebraska
+b
-
-
+
Nevada
-
-
-
New Hampshire
-
-
-
New Jersey
+
-
-
New Mexico
+
+
+
+
New York
-
-
-
North Carolina
+
+
+
North Dakota
+a
-
-
+
Ohio
-
-
-
Oklahoma
-
-
-
Oregon
+a, b, c
-
-
+
Pennsylvania
+b
-
-
+
Rhode Island
+
+
+
+
South Carolina
+
-
-
+
South Dakota
-
-
-
Tennessee
MCO
MCO
MCO
MCO
Texas
+b
-
-
+
Utah
+b
-
-
+
Vermont
+
+
+
+
Virginia
+a, b
+
+
+
Washington
+b
-
-
+
West Virginia
+b
-
-
+
Wisconsin
+
+
+
+
Wyoming
-
-
-
Footnotes:
MCO: 100% Medicaid beneficiaries enrolled in managed care organization, drug benefit decisions made by MCO.
a: morbid obesity
b: hyperlipidemia patients
c: Type II diabetes patients