Prescriptions for weight loss drugs discriminate against Medicare and Medicaid patients

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Prescriptions for blockbuster drugs that treat diabetes, obesity and heart disease are soaring, but the mix of payers shows access to the drugs is far from equitable, per a study published in JAMA Health Forum.

Patients on Medicare and Medicaid appear less likely to be able to access the drugs than those with private coverage.

The USC-led study found a 442% increase in scripts for semaglutide — the active ingredient in diabetes drug Ozempic and anti-obesity and heart disease drug Wegovy — between January 2021 and December 2023. There were 2.6 million prescription fills in December 2023 but less than 10% of Ozempic or Wegovy prescriptions went to patients with Medicaid, per the data from IQVIA’s National Prescription Audit PayerTrak. Less than 30% of Ozempic prescriptions and only 1.2% of Wegovy prescriptions were filled for patients on Medicare Part D plans.

Roughly 1% or less went to people paying cash.

“If only certain patient populations get access to these medications — those primarily with private insurance, more generous health plans — then there’s a huge percentage of the U.S. population that isn’t getting access to these medications,” they said lead author Christopher Scannell.

Prices for Weight-Loss Drugs Like Ozempic Are Skyrocketing