I keep hearing how patients are constantly being told that losing weight would solve whatever is wrong with them. Weight-loss medication should be saving money.
At some point there will be consensus that treating obesity is an indirect way to treat almost every other ailment before they happen. When that happens, and the price remains high, we’ll know the true priorities of big pharma
Hard when the payors (our employers and/or private insurance companies) have little incentive to invest in our long term health. Why pay for weight loss treatment now, if you may leave the job or insurance company in a year or two.
The government, as payor, broadly doesn't have this problem.
They seem to be going after a particular slice of the market. People whose insurance does not cover the drug but does include a health savings account.
"Insurance is not accepted, FSA/HSA cards accepted at checkout. Ask your doctor to send your prescription to:..."
At some point if the cost of groceries (™ Trump) keeps increasing, then drugs that curb your appetite might start to seem cost effective. "Just look how much it's saving you o eggs and bacon".
Ok, I see. Could pharmacies not skirt around that by filling prescriptions for dosages that aren't commercially available or by using some other excuse to justify creating compounded versions?
Not really. The only way would be another shortage. I believe the generic versions will be available in 2030 and until then the brand name will own the market on the drug.
-40% of Americans are obese
-Obesity has many comorbidities.
-Health insurance won’t cover weight loss drugs.
-Drug maker will sell at half price direct to patients that they sell to insurance companies.
And people still say, “this is the best health care system.”
Insurance will cover these to address specific comorbidities, like diabetes (and I think even sleep apnea) for example. Just not for general weight loss, which should be allowed if they actually gave a shit about preventing disease.
UPDATE: Eli Lilly is offering vials of its weight-loss drug Zepbound to patients at a discount — but only if they skip their insurance. Novo Nordisk is now discounting Wegovy for cash customers too.
Can't wait for the health problems that result from this 🐎💩. Besides, by their own admission, it costs them about $5 a dose, yet they're charge upwards of $500 to over $1,000
Just get one treadmill.
So is taking a drug that costs little to make. In addition to EliLilly providing the authorization for the prescription should you not have one.The # of people on this stuff who DON'Tneed it for diabetes far outweigh those who do. And yes,fat people have alternatives including other GLP1 solutions
None of what you said matters to my reply. Telling someone to not take a drug related to weight loss, no matter where or the cost, and to simply “get a treadmill” like that magically solves all of their problems is fucked and you know it.
Fine, so it's unhelpful. Health problems with Ozempic are already starting to be documented. Granted, some people need more than just exercise but by the same token, for a drug crazy society like the US, they often only see drugs as the solution. Just sayin'. Time for alternatives
Insurance in the United States is managed by a bunch of needless profit minded middle men. If they weren’t there, healthcare would be so much cheaper and better.
Medicare for all…
It shouldn’t even have to be that. I’ve been buying Mounjaro privately in the UK - so via a middleman private pharmacy that prescribes & takes a cut, for £140 a month.
When you are used to meds being free then £140 is a lot, but if Americans are used to insane prices this might seem a bargain.
EXACTLY! Good luck finding insurance that does cover it. I’m still on COBRA from when I got laid off because it’s cheaper to pay for that than not have my Zepbound coverage.
These drugs remind me of FenFen. Just heard another horror story from a friend that tried them and had side effects that took him to the emergency room several times. So far, six ER stories and counting.
This perfectly illustrates how effed our healthcare system is — Eli Lilly isn’t selling this stuff at a loss, yet it’s half the average price. How much cheaper could insulin be?
Please repost and ask others to repost. The sooner we accept this, the faster we can end it. We don’t want to wait until Putin tells him to nuke a Canadian or Mexican city.
Singlecare and Good RX are pretty much the same thing, though via the pharmacy. Insurance companies love it when you don't use the benefit you're paying them to provide.
“At a discount”….for $349-$699 per month according to the article. What a joke. Is this supposed to make people think the drug will be more attainable for most Americans who would use it? Most people don’t have ~$500 to spare per month. This is an empty PR gesture.
Comments
The government, as payor, broadly doesn't have this problem.
"Insurance is not accepted, FSA/HSA cards accepted at checkout. Ask your doctor to send your prescription to:..."
-Obesity has many comorbidities.
-Health insurance won’t cover weight loss drugs.
-Drug maker will sell at half price direct to patients that they sell to insurance companies.
And people still say, “this is the best health care system.”
But how much does the drug cost in other countries? Not in a vial but in the handy dandy auto-pens?
I know it’s a lot cheaper than they’re fearing it on this puff piece.
*Maybe* if grocery stores sold real food and not ultra-processed pseudo food at a huge markup, we wouldn’t be in this…
Hmmm?
Food for thought.
Just get one treadmill.
Medicare for all…
When you are used to meds being free then £140 is a lot, but if Americans are used to insane prices this might seem a bargain.
But they're not marketing it to everyday folks. It's the wealthier ones that will fork out that cash to look better.
of the money paid for medications!!
If insurance can DENY, it’s THEFT!!