An Arkansas law has expanded coverage for bariatric surgery, but not weight-loss drugs.
Under Act 628, the state’s Medicaid program and commercial plans must cover bariatric surgery — along with its preoperative and post-operative care — for individuals with “severe obesity,” defined as a BMI of greater than 40 or 35 with related conditions. The legislation went into effect Jan. 1.
Injectables were explicitly excluded from the requirements. Bariatric surgery has long been considered a favorable, yet “old-fashioned,” method.
“A handful of years ago, I never would have said this, but some people may need to consider — or we need to at least consider — the costs of surgical options,” Select Health Senior Medical Director Kenny Bramwell, MD, said at the Becker’s Fall 2025 Payer Issues Roundtable. “Bariatric surgery suddenly seems inexpensive compared to $1,000 a month in perpetuity.”
The legislation comes amid recent shifts in policies on GLP-1 coverage and scrutiny of the drugs’ sustainability and health benefits.
