Medicaid
Covered with requirementsWhat you need to qualify
- Prior trial of another GLP-1 medication (Ozempic)
- Prescribed by or in consultation with a specialist
- On guideline-directed medical therapy (optimized pharmacotherapy for established comorbid diseases (cardiovascular disease, dyslipidemia, diabetes, hypertension) per current consensus guidelines)
- Confirmed MASH diagnosis by liver_biopsy, FIB-4, FibroScan_VCTE, MRE, and ELF_test, fibrosis stage F2 to F3
- Lab results confirming eligibility
Qualification pathways
You can qualify through any one of these.
Initial approval — Wegovy for MASH (non-preferred)
All of:
- Prescribed by or in consultation with a hepatologist or gastroenterologist
- Diagnosis of MASH with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis (stage F2 or F3) confirmed by approved method
- No significant alcohol use (defined as >1 drink/day for natal females or >2 drinks/day for natal males) and no alcohol dependence
- Used in combination with optimized pharmacotherapy for established comorbid diseases (CVD, dyslipidemia, diabetes, hypertension) per current consensus guidelines unless contraindicated or not tolerated
- Used in combination with lifestyle changes and behavioral modifications
- Age-appropriate per FDA labeling, compendia, or peer-reviewed literature
- No contraindication to the prescribed drug
- History of therapeutic failure of, OR contraindication to, OR intolerance to the maximum FDA-approved dose of Ozempic (semaglutide)
Plus any one of:
- Liver biopsy within the past 3 years confirming F2-F3 fibrosis
- FIB-4 index >= 1.3 (age <65) or >= 2.0 (age >=65) PLUS one of: liver stiffness by VCTE (FibroScan), MRE, shear wave elastography (SWE), or Enhanced Liver Fibrosis (ELF) score
Initial approval — Wegovy 2.4 mg for MASH (non-preferred, strength-specific)
All of:
- All standard MASH criteria above met
Plus any one of:
- Dose titration to semaglutide 2 mg completed AND medical reason supporting need for 2.4 mg dose
- History of therapeutic failure of Ozempic (semaglutide) at maximum FDA-approved dose
Initial approval — addition of Wegovy to Rezdiffra (resmetirom) for MASH
All of:
- All standard MASH criteria above met
- Failed to show improvement in liver fibrosis after >= 12 months of Rezdiffra (resmetirom)
Documentation to bring
- Documentation of specialist prescribing or consultation (hepatologist or gastroenterologist)
- Documentation of MASH diagnosis with F2-F3 fibrosis: liver biopsy within past 3 years OR FIB-4 >= 1.3 (<65 yrs) or >= 2.0 (>=65 yrs) plus VCTE/MRE/SWE/ELF result
- Documentation of no significant alcohol use (<=1 drink/day natal female; <=2 drinks/day natal male) and no alcohol dependence
- Documentation of optimized pharmacotherapy for comorbid diseases or reason contraindicated/not tolerated
- Documentation of therapeutic failure of Ozempic at maximum FDA-approved dose, OR contraindication or intolerance to Ozempic (with chart documentation of troubleshooting attempts over at least 1 month if intolerance-based)
- For Wegovy 2.4 mg: documentation that dose titration to semaglutide 2 mg has been completed and medical reason for 2.4 mg dose — OR therapeutic failure of Ozempic at max dose
- If currently on Rezdiffra (resmetirom): documentation of failure to improve liver fibrosis after >= 12 months of Rezdiffra
- Documentation of age-appropriateness per FDA labeling, compendia, or peer-reviewed literature
- Documentation of no contraindication to the prescribed drug
- If therapeutic duplication: documentation of intent to transition or medical reason for concomitant use
Approval and renewal
- Initial approval: 6 months
- Renewal: every 6 months
- To renew, the plan looks for Renewal requires: (1) prescribed by or in consultation with hepatologist or gastroenterologist; (2) no significant alcohol use; (3) optimized pharmacotherapy for comorbid diseases; (4) continued lifestyle changes and behavioral modifications; (5) step-therapy requirement (therapeutic failure/contraindication/intolerance to Ozempic max dose). If on GLP-1 for >= 1 year, must document: resolution of steatohepatitis and improvement or no worsening of liver fibrosis, OR improvement of liver fibrosis and no worsening of steatohepatitis. If currently taking Rezdiffra (resmetirom) and adding GLP-1: must have failed to show improvement in liver fibrosis after >= 12 months of Rezdiffra. Baseline fibrosis staging not re-confirmed at renewal per renewal guidelines.
Not covered when
- Cirrhotic MASH excluded (noncirrhotic MASH only)
- Significant alcohol use (>1 drink/day natal female or >2 drinks/day natal male) or alcohol dependence is an exclusion
- Overweight/obesity treatment indication excluded
- Saxenda (liraglutide) not covered for any indication
Policy note: MASH fibrosis confirmation: liver biopsy must be within past 3 years (36 months). For FIB-4 pathway, FIB-4 cutoff is age-stratified: >=1.3 for patients <65 years old, >=2.0 for patients >=65 years old. Second-line imaging/test required alongside FIB-4: VCTE (FibroScan), MRE, SWE, or ELF score. Alcohol limits are stated in drinks per day, not grams (policy does not specify gram equivalents). Concomitant Rezdiffra requires prior 12-month trial failure of resmetirom before adding GLP-1. At renewal, if on GLP-1 for >=1 year, must document liver fibrosis/steatohepatitis response. All non-OSA/non-MASH/non-CV non-diabetes indications require 6-month prior lifestyle trial; MASH requires only concurrent lifestyle modification. Approval up to 6 months per cycle. Prescriptions limited to 1-month supply per fill.
Policy effective January 1, 2026 · verified June 4, 2026 · source: mab2025112403.pdf