Newsletter
Notes from a physician, on what the evidence actually says
Short, occasional dispatches on obesity care, treatment, and the policy work that surrounds it. No hype, no fads — just clear, honest writing.
October 2026
Are GLP-1s Changing Happy Hour?
What Dr. Doug told Arizona's Family about GLP-1s and alcohol, Day 0 of his 90 Day Challenge, his OMA 2027 talk, four new trials (retatrutide, survodutide, petrelintide, orforglipron), and the free sleep apnea brief for clinicians.
The Coverage Landscape for Obesity Treatment
A new insurance coverage guide for obesity treatment on DougMareadyMD.com, the week's coverage news (Rhode Island Medicaid ends coverage, Cigna, PepsiCo and Starbucks pull back, CVS Caremark restores Zepbound, Medicare GLP-1 Bridge enrollment, 2027 Part D plans, January price cuts, TFAH State of Obesity 2026), why on-again off-again coverage costs more, and five questions for employers before the 2027 renewal.
September 2026
Exercise, Medicare, and the $11 Billion Question
The weight-independent benefits of exercise, a plain-English recap of the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program, and why obesity medications still are not covered on most plans, from my conversation on The Dr. Francavilla Show. Plus the Angle Health fireside chat on metabolic wellness for employers.
Medicare Covers Obesity Now. Almost Nobody Knows.
On July 1 Medicare began paying for obesity medication for the first time in its history. Who actually qualifies, the free benefit almost nobody uses, and why Medicaid is a different rulebook.
April 2026
From mindset to medication — the full reach of obesity care
Dispatches from the Obesity Medicine Association 2026 conference — nutrition patterns, exercise prescriptions, the mind–body loop, weight plateaus, lipedema, and the volunteers building this field.
Food Fight
Five nutrition stories that circle the same uncomfortable question: if we know food is this important to metabolic health and obesity outcomes, why do we keep treating it like an afterthought?
Modifying Disease with Obesity Treatment
Evidence that obesity treatment actually modifies other diseases — a new oral GLP-1, psychiatric outcomes, migraines, and cardiovascular prevention.