Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced on CBS Mornings this week that he has lost 80 pounds over the past two years using a GLP-1 medication, a diabetes and weight-loss drug class that can cost more than $16,000 per year at list price. The disclosure came alongside a separate announcement that he has directed the state employee health insurance plan to cover GLP-1 treatments for all 55,000 state workers.
Pritzker, a billionaire heir to the Hyatt hotel fortune with a net worth estimated by Forbes at $4.2 billion, said a diabetes diagnosis two years ago prompted the change. I’ve been overweight most of my life, really, since I was probably 7 or 8 years old,” he told CBS News. He said he now injects the medication weekly, walks roughly four miles most mornings, and is off insulin.
A State Plan That Covers the Governor’s Drug of Choice
Pritzker is himself a state employee, covered by the same insurance plan he expanded. Illinois broadened GLP-1 coverage beyond diabetes to include weight loss beginning July 1, 2024, for adults with obesity, pre-diabetes, or gestational diabetes enrolled in the state employee health program. The governor’s office estimated the expansion would cost $210 million in its first year, while outside analysts put the potential figure considerably higher. Pritzker defended the policy in economic terms. “Why? We’re going to save money,” he said, arguing that reducing obesity and diabetes rates would lower broader health system costs over time.
CBS News did not disclose whether Pritzker’s personal prescriptions are billed to that state plan. No documentation has been made public. For more on the Illinois GLP-1 coverage policy, the gap between what the governor said and what remains unanswered is significant given his personal financial standing.
Pritzker Pushes Back on 2028 Presidential Speculation
The weight-loss announcement immediately renewed speculation about Pritzker’s political ambitions. The governor flatly denied that the transformation was timed to improve his image ahead of a potential 2028 presidential run, saying he has been driven to lose weight his whole life and wants to remain governor “for a while longer.” He framed his public disclosure as a public health message. I decided to share my health journey with GLP-1s because I thought it might make a difference for others,” he wrote on social media after the interview aired.
The Chicago Sun-Times, citing Forbes data, noted that Pritzker’s net worth has grown by roughly $1 billion since he took office in 2019, meaning he has the personal resources to cover the medication independently. Illinois, by contrast, faces persistent fiscal pressure, and the new GLP-1 coverage represents one of the most expensive expansions of the state employee benefits program in recent memory.
What Taxpayers and Watchdogs Will Be Looking For Next
The immediate question is transparency. Critics and fiscal watchdogs are calling on the governor’s office to clarify whether his own GLP-1 prescriptions are covered under the state plan or paid out of pocket. The governor’s office has not addressed that specific question publicly.
If the state-funded coverage genuinely produces the long-term savings Pritzker promises, his office will need to release cost data as the program matures. The first full-year figures for the July 2024 expansion are expected to come into clearer focus in early 2027, giving lawmakers and taxpayers a first real look at whether the math holds up.
Author’s note: if you’re serious about losing weight, then do it the right way. These medications aren’t worth it.
