For years, Brooklyn residents seeking help with obesity, diabetes and related health conditions have turned to Dr. Mason Pimsler. Even after leaving Brookdale Hospital for Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, many of those patients continued following him across the borough.
Now, Dr. Pimsler is providing city residents with free weight loss medication to those who qualify.
Recently named Physician of the Year from NYC Health + Hospitals, Dr. Mason has earned praise for his dedication to patient care, clinical leadership and efforts to connect patients with treatments that are often difficult to access. What makes his approach unusual is that he is doing much of it without charging patients for specialized obesity care.
Working alongside pharmaceutical manufacturer Novo Nordisk and utilizing programs available through NYC Health + Hospitals, Dr. Pimsler helps eligible patients gain access to GLP-1 medications, treatments that are often financially out of reach for many families.
Anyone can make an appointment with the doctor and use their insurance, or apply for NYC Care, which offers low-cost and no-cost healthcare services to eligible New Yorkers without insurance to apply for free weight loss medication.
The initiative is not a formal standalone program but part of his broader effort to expand access to GLP-1 medications for underserved patients, he told BK Reader.
"These therapies have demonstrated meaningful benefits for conditions such as Type 2 diabetes and obesity, yet many patients who could benefit most face barriers related to cost, insurance coverage, provider availability and health literacy," said Dr. Pimsler.
Dr. Pimsler says his mission is rooted in prevention. While Medicaid often covers GLP-1 medications for diabetes, coverage for obesity treatment remains limited. He believes helping patients before they develop serious complications can change the trajectory of their lives.
For Dr. Pimsler, the work is also personal. He points to the legacy of his great-uncle, Chaim Shapiro, who instilled service to the community as a virtue.
"I can't do it for the masses, but I can help some," he said.
For those patients, that help can mean far more than weight loss. It can mean a healthier future, a longer life and a second chance at wellness.
