A New Use for Wegovy Opens the Door to Medicare Coverage for Millions of People with Obesity

(By Juliette Cubanski, Tricia Neuman, Nolan Sroczynski, and Anthony Damico for The Kaiser Family Foundation Published: Apr 24, 2024)

The FDA recently approved a new use for Wegovy (semaglutide), the blockbuster anti-obesity drug, to reduce the risk of heart attacks and stroke in people with cardiovascular disease who are overweight or obese. Wegovy belongs to a class of medications called GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) agonists that were initially approved to treat type 2 diabetes but are also highly effective anti-obesity drugs. The new FDA-approved indication for Wegovy paves the way for Medicare coverage of this drug and broader coverage by other insurers. Medicare is currently prohibited by law from covering Wegovy and other medications when used specifically for obesity. However, semaglutide is covered by Medicare as a treatment for diabetes, branded as Ozempic. Continue reading here…

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