Today, the Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI), the only national nonprofit solely dedicated to addressing the most critical health issues impacting Black women and girls, released Obesity Care in California, a new resource highlighting the need to restore access to metabolic weight loss medications for Medi-Cal beneficiaries. The organization is calling on California policymakers to reinstate Medi-Cal coverage for these medications and increase equitable access to care for Black women.
“Society has spent decades talking about weight as though it is simply a matter of individual behavior, what you eat, how much you exercise, whether you have enough discipline. We know better than that. Obesity is complex and chronic, influenced by biology, genetics, environment, stress, mental health, and the conditions in which people live,” said Ifeoma Udoh, PhD, Executive Vice President for Policy & Research, BWHI. “Advances in obesity treatment, including GLP-1 medications, are changing what is possible for people living with obesity. But innovation means little if those who need it most cannot access it.”
In California, the January 2026 reversal of GLP-1 coverage for metabolic health within Medi-Cal occurred coincidentally with emerging research showing that minorities are less likely to be prescribed GLP-1s. Black women also face a disproportionately higher burden of cardiometabolic diseases, like hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and visceral fat accumulation.
“We have an opportunity to make sure Black women have the trusted information, resources, and care they need to navigate their health, and that includes understanding how obesity and metabolic health are connected to all stages of life,” said Joy D. Calloway, MBA, MHSA, President and CEO, BWHI. “We cannot ask women to take control of their health while placing the tools and treatments that could help them out of reach.”
By restoring coverage, California will improve the lives of underserved communities who are disproportionately affected by obesity, one of the costliest chronic diseases affecting residents’ health and the state’s economy. Communities already experiencing the highest burden of obesity, including Black women and low-income populations, are also the most likely to rely on Medi-Cal for access to care. Amid a fundamental parity gap in chronic disease care, where the system pays to treat the complications of obesity while limiting access to treatments that address the underlying disease, it behooves policymakers to cover obesity treatment on the same basis as other chronic diseases. This will bring Medi-Cal policy into closer alignment with modern medical understanding and support a consistent approach to chronic disease management.
“Research shows that GLP-1s offer a powerful, science-backed way to improve lives and address disparities. Let’s get these medications back in the hands of those who need them most,” said Dr. Udoh.
About Black Women’s Health Imperative
The Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI) is a national non-profit organization with more than 40 years of impact, dedicated to solving the most critical health issues facing the nation’s 21 million Black women and girls through innovative programs, transformative research, and life-saving policies.
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