Government Plans Dominate Coverage for Costly Weight-Loss Drugs
State Medicaid programs lead in providing access to expensive weight-loss medications over private insurers.
- Government-funded health plans, particularly Medicaid, cover the majority of weight-loss drug prescriptions in the U.S., reaching 52.2 million people.
- Private insurance plans cover significantly fewer individuals, with estimates ranging from 13.7 to 24.4 million, due to limited transparency in employer plans.
- Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Zepbound, priced over $1,000 monthly, are popular for their effectiveness but face insurance coverage hurdles.
- The high cost of these drugs has led some patients to seek cheaper alternatives from compounding pharmacies, despite regulatory challenges.
- Novo and Lilly are advocating for broader insurance coverage, citing potential societal health benefits from reduced obesity-related conditions.
Denver Gazette 
