{"id":2668276,"date":"2026-09-23T09:13:53","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T13:13:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/illinois-taxpayers-appear-to-be-footing-the-bill-for-billionaire-pritzkers-weight-loss-drug\/"},"modified":"2026-09-23T09:21:35","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T13:21:35","slug":"illinois-taxpayers-appear-to-be-footing-the-bill-for-billionaire-pritzkers-weight-loss-drug","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/illinois-taxpayers-appear-to-be-footing-the-bill-for-billionaire-pritzkers-weight-loss-drug\/","title":{"rendered":"Illinois Taxpayers Appear to Be Footing the Bill for Billionaire Pritzker&#8217;s Weight Loss Drug"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fillinois-taxpayers-appear-to-be-footing-the-bill-for-billionaire-pritzkers-weight-loss-drug%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2668276&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Illinois Governor JB Pritzker revealed in an interview with CBS Mornings that he has been using a GLP-1 medication for the past two years to lose weight,successfully shedding 80 pounds. He attributed his weight loss to this medication,alongside regular walking,and noted he no longer requires insulin. Pritzker,who has been overweight since childhood and diagnosed with diabetes two years ago,stated the medication helped him feel better and motivated him to pursue health improvements.<\/p>\n<p>He announced that GLP-1 treatments are now available on the state&#8217;s insurance plan for 55,000 employees, claiming this move woudl save money by reducing diabetes and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/obesity-epidemic-in-military-elicits-calls-to-reform-diet-of-us-armed-forces-expert\/\" title=\"Calls for reforming the US Armed Forces&#039; diet due to obesity epidemic: Expert.\">obesity-related health issues<\/a>. Despite his personal use of the drug, critics suggest that the costs associated with the medication, which can exceed $16,000 annually, and the coverage for state workers raise questions about whether taxpayers are subsidizing his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/paying-people-money-for-losing-weight-works\/\" title=\"For losing ..., people should be paid money\">weight-loss efforts<\/a>. Pritzker, a wealthy heir to the hyatt fortune, insists his motivation is genuine and that he is sharing his experience to encourage others. The policy expansion, effective July 2024, is estimated to cost at least $210 million in its first year, with some outside analyses suggesting higher expenses.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker revealed to \u201cCBS Mornings\u201d that for the last two years he has been using a GLP-1 medication to lose weight.<\/p>\n<p>In a CBS News <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/jb-pritzker-glp-1-president\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">interview<\/a> broadcast Monday, Pritzker said he\u2019s lost 80 pounds so far and he feels \u201ca whole lot different and a whole lot better.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve been overweight most of my life, really, since I was probably 7 or 8 years old,\u201d Pritzker said.<\/p>\n<p>Pritzker\u00a0told the network a diabetes diagnosis two years ago pushed the change. A doctor recommended a GLP-1 and warned he might need treatment for life. Pritzker said he injects weekly, walks about four miles most mornings, and is off insulin.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Illinois Governor JB Pritzker told @davidbegnaud that he\u2019s \u201cbeen driven my whole life to lose weight\u201d \u2014 and two years ago, he added a new tool to that effort: A GLP-1.<\/p>\n<p>First on CBS Mornings, Gov. Pritzker d about the decision to use the medication for weight loss after being diagnosed with diabetes and why he\u2019s directing the state\u2019s insurance plan to cover GLP-1s for state employees.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CBSMornings\/status\/2102030218516890045?\">September 21, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Buried later in the same interview was the line that matters to people who pay Illinois taxes. Pritzker said GLP-1 treatments are on the state insurance plan for 55,000 state employees.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy? We\u2019re going to save money,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Fewer people with diabetes, and less obesity, means fewer other diseases and savings for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/more-hospitals-across-the-us-are-bringing-back-mask-mandates\/\" title=\"US hospitals reinstate mask mandates.\">state health system<\/a>.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">I decided to  my health journey with GLP-1s because I thought it might make a difference for others.<\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t take for granted that we now have tools to help us live healthier lives \u2014 and I hope sharing encourages people to explore their options. https:\/\/t.co\/j5rIsfxReN<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/GovPritzker\/status\/2102214735341248585?\">September 22, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>  Pritzker is the governor, a state employee. The plan he just advertised covers the class of drug he has been taking for two years.<\/p>\n<p>CBS News did not produce his personal claim form. It does not take a forensic accountant to see how this looks.<\/p>\n<p>Forbes, cited by the <a href=\"https:\/\/chicago.suntimes.com\/illinois-governor\/2026\/09\/21\/jb-pritzker-net-worth-1-billion-increase-illinois-governor-2019\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Chicago Sun-Times<\/a>, puts his net worth at $4.2 billion \u2014 up $1 billion since he became governor in 2019. He is an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/J-B-Pritzker\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">heir to the Hyatt fortune<\/a>. He can buy the shots himself.<\/p>\n<p>Illinois <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wbez.org\/politics\/2024\/04\/30\/illinois-expands-costly-weight-loss-drug-coverage?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">expanded GLP-1 coverage<\/a> beyond diabetes treatment to include weight loss beginning July 1, 2024, for adults with obesity, pre-diabetes, or gestational diabetes enrolled in the state employee health program.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/chicago.suntimes.com\/politics\/2024\/04\/30\/weight-loss-drug-coverage-illinois-state-workers-taxpayers-price-tag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The expansion<\/a> was estimated by the governor\u2019s office to cost $210 million in its first year, while outside analysis put the potential cost substantially higher. Individual GLP-1 prescriptions can also cost more than $16,000 per year at list-price levels.<\/p>\n<p>Pritzker denied he dropped the weight to polish a 2028 presidential image. He said he has been driven his whole life to lose it and wants to remain governor \u201cfor a while longer.\u201d He also said his platform as governor is a chance to tell people the drugs can work.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker says he\u2019s lost 80 pounds on GLP-1, sparking fresh talk of 2028 White House run https:\/\/t.co\/fjRgzRD1en https:\/\/t.co\/gwvEYSUaEH<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 New York Post (@nypost) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/nypost\/status\/2102097172300734678?\">September 21, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>  That is a nice speech from a man who will never wait in line at a pharmacy.<\/p>\n<p>Working families in Illinois fund a government that already struggles to keep the lights on. The state now funds the high-demand weight-loss drug for its 55,000-person workforce, and this policy heavily spotlights the billionaire governor\u2019s vocal praise of his own results from the drug.<\/p>\n<p>If the coverage truly saves money, show the ledger. If Pritzker\u2019s own doses are on that plan, say so. If they are not, say that too.<\/p>\n<p>Until then, the picture is simple enough: Illinois taxpayers appear to be subsidizing a billionaire\u2019s waistline, and he went on national television to call it thrift.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]] = document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display = 'block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display = 'none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src = firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display = 'inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id'] = firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting = jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display = 'none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display = 'block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> \t     \t\t\t\t\t\t     \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (BA1)\")<\/script> \t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/body><\/html><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Illinois Governor JB Pritzker disclosed on \u201cCBS Mornings\u201d that he has been taking a GLP-1 weight-loss medication for the past two years. During the interview aired Monday, he shared that he has lost 80 pounds and feels significantly better. Pritzker mentioned having struggled with being overweight since childhood, around age 7 or 8. He explained that a diabetes diagnosis two years ago prompted him to start the medication, which his doctor recommended as a potential lifelong treatment. He now injects weekly, walks about four miles each morning, and no longer uses insulin.<\/p>\n<p>Pritzker also announced that the state\u2019s insurance plan now covers GLP-1 treatments for approximately 55,000 employees-aiming to reduce healthcare costs by decreasing obesity-related illnesses and diabetes. He expressed hope that sharing his experience might encourage others to explore similar options.<\/p>\n<p>However, critics note that as a billionaire and state employee himself-whose net worth exceeds $4 billion-he can afford these medications privately. The expansion of coverage began July 1, 2024, at an estimated first-year cost of $210 million; individual prescriptions can cost over $16,000 annually.<\/p>\n<p>While Pritzker denies using the drug solely for political gain ahead of potential future campaigns like the 2028 presidential race, his public endorsement raises questions about taxpayer-funded subsidies benefiting wealthy officials. Critics argue transparency is needed regarding whether his personal doses are covered by public funds or paid out-of-pocket.<\/p>\n<p>Overall, this story highlights ongoing debates over healthcare costs and government-funded benefits for high-income officials versus working families funding essential services in Illinois<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2668277,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Ben-Working-Feature-Image-2026-09-22T211100.233.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[5684,6413,20657,8956,76578],"class_list":["post-2668276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-billionaire","tag-illinois","tag-pritzker","tag-taxpayers","tag-weight-loss-drug"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Ben-Working-Feature-Image-2026-09-22T211100.233.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2668276","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2668276"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2668276\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2668284,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2668276\/revisions\/2668284"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2668277"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2668276"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2668276"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2668276"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}