National health and Hispanic advocacy groups want New Mexico’s Medicaid program to make GLP-1 weight-loss drugs easier to get, the Santa Fe New Mexican reports.
In an Oct. 1 letter to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, five organizations, including the National Hispanic Health Foundation, LULAC and the American Diabetes Association, asked the state to set aside money to expand access. They argued the drugs could head off costly complications such as diabetes and heart disease, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican.
Medicaid, which covers about two in five New Mexicans, covers some weight-loss drugs for obesity, but in most cases only for patients with a body mass index over 40, according to the state Health Care Authority. Ozempic is covered for approved conditions such as Type 2 diabetes.
State Department of Health data show obesity in New Mexico rose from 26% in 2013 to 35% in 2023. The groups want the money included as agencies build budgets for fiscal year 2028. But the state is also bracing for federal Medicaid changes under the 2025 reconciliation law that are expected to squeeze health spending.
What's Next
The groups want the money included as state agencies build their fiscal year 2028 budgets.
Why It Matters
Medicaid covers about two in five New Mexicans, but in most cases it pays for obesity drugs only for patients with a BMI over 40.
About This Story
Daily Reports is Brant.One’s news roundup. Each day we gather the New Mexico stories worth knowing from newsrooms across the state, sum them up and point you to the source. This one comes from the Santa Fe New Mexican’s reporting, and their original story has the interviews and full details.
Editor’s note: Updated Oct. 31, 2026. This story is now part of Daily Reports, our New Mexico news roundup, and was revised to credit the Santa Fe New Mexican’s original reporting. Learn how Daily Reports works in our editorial standards.
