Assessing the association of Medicaid anti-obesity medication (AOM) coverage with AOM prescribing patterns, focusing on racial and ethnic disparities

This project is funded under the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's research program, Health Data for Action (HD4A), which makes valuable data from unique data owners available to researchers to answer important research questions. The goal of this study is to assess the association of Medicaid anti-obesity medication (AOM) coverage with AOM prescribing patterns among Medicaid enrollees, with a focus on potential disparities by race and ethnicity. Using HealthShare Exchange data, the study seeks to investigate the potential changes in prescribing rates among Medicaid enrollees in Pennsylvania and Delaware, where AOMs are covered by Medicaid as of 2023, in comparison with prescribing patterns in New Jersey, where AOMs are not covered. Researchers aim to help policymakers consider the potential effect of other states' implementing AOM coverage on AOM prescribing and to inform supplementary efforts needed to ensure an equitable increase in access to AOMs. Deliverables will include a project workplan and a final narrative report. The researchers will also produce a paper or papers suitable for publication and will present findings at national research meetings and to other interested audiences, as appropriate, including policymakers at the federal, state, and local levels, as part of the deliverables for this grant.