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KFF Poll: GLP-1 Use Hits 12% of U.S. Adults as Cost Burdens Persist

User reports of high out-of-pocket costs reflect uneven insurance coverage, including Medicare limits on weight-loss prescriptions.

Overview

  • Nearly one in five adults (18%) say they have ever used a GLP-1 medication, according to a KFF survey conducted Oct. 27–Nov. 2.
  • A majority of users (56%) say the drugs are difficult to afford, and 27% with insurance paid the full cost, which often approaches $1,000 a month before rebates.
  • Current use is concentrated among people with chronic conditions, including 45% of those with diabetes, 29% with heart disease, and 23% recently diagnosed as overweight or obese.
  • Women report higher current use than men (15% vs. 9%), and uptake peaks at ages 50–64 (22%) but is lower among adults 65+ (9%), which KFF links to Medicare’s coverage restrictions for weight loss.
  • Interest remains strong among nonusers (22% would consider the drugs for weight loss), yet most adults doubt recent Trump administration actions will lower their own drug costs, with the poll fielded before those announcements.