Wegovy Archives

Rise in Obesity Drug Use Leads to Drop in More Effective Surgical Alternative

Nov 21, 2024 | Bariatric surgery, GLP-1s, MedBen Rx, Wegovy, Weight loss, Weight loss drugs, Zepbound

Bariatric surgeries to treat obesity dropped 25.6% from 2022 to 2023, while prescriptions for GLP-1 drugs more than doubled during that period, according to a new study of privately insured Americans with obesity. However, those who opt for the surgery are seeing...

Humira Costliest Drug for Self-Funded Plans, But GLP-1s are Gaining Ground

Sep 3, 2024 | Biosimilars, Cost Savings, Drug costs, GLP-1s, Humira, Mounjaro, Ozempic, Rx Costs, Savings, Trulicity, Wegovy

Humira continued to be the costliest prescription drug for self-funded health plans in 2023 by a comfortable margin, according to a recent Milliman commercial drug trends review. Used to treat a variety of conditions from Crohn’s to rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic...

Employers Weighing the Obesity Drug Question

Jun 10, 2024 | Affordable Care Act, Caroline Fraker, MedBen Rx, Obesity, Wegovy, Weight loss, Weight loss drugs, Zepbound

While most health plans do not currently cover obesity medications like Wegovy and Zepbound – and MedBen Rx recommends clients continue not to do so – constant media coverage means the calls to do so will only grow. Therefore, employers are increasingly considering...

High-Cost Diabetes Drugs Increasingly Prescribed for Weight Loss

May 13, 2024 | Diabetes, Kurt Harden, MedBen Rx, MedBen University, Mounjaro, Ozempic, Wegovy, Weight loss, Zepbound

At recent MedBen University roundtables, MedBen President & CEO Kurt Harden examined how the growing public awareness of two diabetes drugs with a desirable side effect – significant weight loss – means that these $1,000-per-month medications are not always being...

Weight Loss Drugs Continue to Pressure Health Plan Costs

Nov 14, 2023 | Drug costs, Obesity, Pharmacy, Prescription, Wegovy, Weight loss, Zepbound

In light of all the attention that weight loss drugs have received lately – as well as the pricing havoc these drugs have been causing in some pharmacy plans – the following news items have caught our attention: North Carolina says its health plan will...

Weight Loss Drugs: Big Cost, Bigger Questions

Jun 15, 2023 | Obesity, Ozempic, Pharmacy, Prescription, Rx Costs, Semaglutide, Wegovy, Weight loss

Obesity drugs are becoming big business, with a correspondingly big price tag. And with these drugs regularly making headlines, questions about whether or not health plans should cover them grow louder. The highest-profile obesity drug is semaglutide, sold under the...