Does California Medicaid cover Ozempic or Wegovy or Rybelsus for weight loss?

Other indications only. Not eligible for weight loss. No prior authorization needed for MASH from April 1, 2026. Cardiovascular disease reviewed on medical necessity

Does California Medicaid cover Mounjaro or Zepbound for weight loss?

Other indications only. Removed from the contract drugs list. Prior authorization still considered for obstructive sleep apnea

Does California Medicaid cover Saxenda or Victoza for weight loss?

Not covered. Removed from the contract drugs list. Claims are rejected regardless of indication

Medicaid coverage

California: what Medicaid covers

Medi-Cal stopped covering Wegovy, Zepbound and Saxenda for weight loss on January 1, 2026. Two routes survive: the other approved indications, and members under 21, whose requests are still reviewed for medical necessity under the federal EPSDT benefit.

Checked against the primary source August 25, 2026

What Medicaid in California covers, and the criteria that apply.
Drug	Position	Criteria
Semaglutide	Other indications only	Not eligible for weight loss. No prior authorization needed for MASH from April 1, 2026. Cardiovascular disease reviewed on medical necessity Changed January 1, 2026
Tirzepatide	Other indications only	Removed from the contract drugs list. Prior authorization still considered for obstructive sleep apnea Changed January 1, 2026
Liraglutide	Not covered	Removed from the contract drugs list. Claims are rejected regardless of indication Changed January 1, 2026

Semaglutide Other indications only

Not eligible for weight loss. No prior authorization needed for MASH from April 1, 2026. Cardiovascular disease reviewed on medical necessity

Changed January 1, 2026
Tirzepatide Other indications only

Removed from the contract drugs list. Prior authorization still considered for obstructive sleep apnea

Changed January 1, 2026
Liraglutide Not covered

Removed from the contract drugs list. Claims are rejected regardless of indication

Changed January 1, 2026

If the answer is no. Around 45% of initial prior authorizations for these drugs are refused, and 35 to 45% of first-level appeals are overturned. A refusal is not the end of the process, and the cash-pay routes are priced on this site alongside it.

Sources

Every claim above is checked against the primary text, and the date is the day we last opened it.

1
GLP-1 Coverage Considerations
Medi-Cal Rx, California DHCS Primary text read and checked Checked August 25, 2026