Most health insurance companies won't cover the cost of Ozempic and Wegovy, leaving groups with the highest rates of obesity without access.
Ozempic and Wegovy are the same drug, semaglutide, but come in different doses. They work as appetite suppressants and help control blood sugar levels by prompting the body to release insulin.
"I may not have it right now, but it does run in my family. Almost every single member of my family has it," Matoa said."The whole point is that I don't develop it, and I stay healthy.""Dr. Levy was like, 'Well, 'I have bad news,'" Matoa recalled. Though she has private insurance through her employer, Levy said the health plan would not pay for the new weight loss drugs.
"Evidence suggests that patients may not be able to maintain their weight loss once they stop taking the drug," said David Allen, an AHIP spokesperson."There is also limited long-term evidence to show that patients on these medications see lasting benefits in reducing risk of co-morbidities like diabetes or cardiovascular disease."
Still, the massive gap in insurance coverage for weight loss medications is rooted in weight discrimination, said James Zervios, vice president and chief of staff for the Obesity Action Coalition.
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