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

Covered, prior authorization. Wegovy is named on the anti-obesity service authorization form. BMI of 30, or 27 with two of five listed risk factors, a failed weight-loss plan in the past 6 months, and 18 or over. First authorization runs 3 months. The form is dated January 2022

Does Virginia Medicaid cover Saxenda or Victoza for weight loss?

Covered, prior authorization. Saxenda is named on the anti-obesity service authorization form, from age 12. First authorization runs 4 months

Medicaid coverage

Virginia: what Medicaid covers

Virginia answers this question on a form rather than on its drug list. The Cardinal Care preferred drug list names no weight-loss GLP-1 in 173 pages; the anti-obesity service authorization form names Wegovy and Saxenda and sets the criteria. The form is dated January 2022, so it predates Zepbound and the thresholds on it may have moved.

Checked against the primary source August 26, 2026

What Medicaid in Virginia covers, and the criteria that apply.
Drug	Position	Criteria
Semaglutide	Prior authorization	Wegovy is named on the anti-obesity service authorization form. BMI of 30, or 27 with two of five listed risk factors, a failed weight-loss plan in the past 6 months, and 18 or over. First authorization runs 3 months. The form is dated January 2022
Tirzepatide	not checked	Not named on the preferred drug list or on the anti-obesity authorization form, and that form predates Zepbound’s approval
Liraglutide	Prior authorization	Saxenda is named on the anti-obesity service authorization form, from age 12. First authorization runs 4 months

Semaglutide Prior authorization

Wegovy is named on the anti-obesity service authorization form. BMI of 30, or 27 with two of five listed risk factors, a failed weight-loss plan in the past 6 months, and 18 or over. First authorization runs 3 months. The form is dated January 2022
Tirzepatide not checked

Not named on the preferred drug list or on the anti-obesity authorization form, and that form predates Zepbound’s approval
Liraglutide Prior authorization

Saxenda is named on the anti-obesity service authorization form, from age 12. First authorization runs 4 months

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
Virginia DMAS Service Authorization Form: Anti-Obesity Drugs
Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services Primary text read and checked Checked August 26, 2026
2
Virginia Cardinal Care Medicaid-Approved Preferred Drug List, effective August 1, 2026
Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services Primary text read and checked Checked August 26, 2026