Nearly 60% of Americans who started taking weight-loss drugs between 2014 and 2023 didn’t continue long enough to see meaningful health benefits, according to a study of people covered by members of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association insurance trade group.
About 30% of people who were prescribed the drugs stopped in the first month, according to data published in a report from the association.
The popularity and high prices of the medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy have driven up costs for insurers, employers and government programs. While the drugs, known as GLP-1s, show substantial benefits for people with diabetes and obesity, insurance companies have balked at the cost.
While most prescriptions are written by primary care providers, people who saw endocrinologists or obesity specialists were more likely to stay on treatment in the study.
Other research has shown that side effects and the cost of medication can be barriers to continuing use of the drugs. More than half of respondents in a recent poll from health researcher KFF said GLP-1 medications are difficult to afford even with insurance.
The Blue Cross Blue Shield analysis drew on medical and pharmacy claims data from 170,000 of its commercial health plan members.
© 2024 Bloomberg L.P.
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