Wegovy heart health data is promising — but insurers face long road, high cost to cover obesity drugs
Publishing timestamp: 2023-08-09 19:27:04
Summary
Novo Nordisk's obesity drug Wegovy has been found to reduce the risk of serious heart problems by 20% in a large clinical trial. This finding could increase pressure on U.S. insurers to cover the medication and other weight loss treatments. However, insurers are cautious due to the preliminary nature of the data and concerns about the high costs of these medications. The trial results caused stocks of weight loss-related companies to soar. While the results are promising, insurers are still analyzing the evidence and are concerned about the high costs involved. The coverage for obesity drugs varies among insurers, with some providing coverage while others do not. The high cost of these drugs and the chronic nature of obesity pose challenges for insurers. More data demonstrating the heart-health benefits of obesity drugs may be needed before insurers expand coverage.
Sentiment: MIXED
Tickers: LLY, NOVO.B-DK, CVS, WW,
Keywords: diabetes, ww international inc, insurance industry, cvs health corp, weight loss surgery, social issues, business news, biotech and pharmaceuticals, health care industry, novo nordisk a/s, breaking news, medicare health plans, united states, business, weight management, eli lilly and co, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, obesity, health insurance,
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/09/wegovy-heart-health-data-insurance-hurdles-costs.html