The majority of health plans surveyed in a report by the Pharmaceutical Strategies Group said they are "very concerned" about off-label use of medications for weight loss.
GLP-1 drugs — including Ozempic, Trulicity, Victoza and Mounjaro — are used to treat Type 2 diabetes but have been prescribed off-label for weight loss.
Pharmaceutical Strategies Group surveyed 149 employers and health plans in February and March. The report was published June 13.
Of the health plans surveyed, 65 percent said they were "very concerned" about off-label use of drugs for weight loss.
Health plans were more likely to say they were concerned about off-label use of the drugs for weight loss than employers. Of the employers surveyed, 29 percent said they were "very concerned" about off-label use of the drugs, and 36 percent were "moderately concerned."
Just 6 percent of the health plans surveyed said they were "not at all concerned" about off-label drug use.
Overall, 49 percent of plans surveyed said they currently cover medications for weight, compared to 41 percent of employers. GLP-1 drugs approved to treat obesity, like Wegovy and Saxenda, can cost upwards of $10,000 per year. Another 31 percent of health plans are considering adding coverage for the drugs in the next one to two years, and 20 percent said they are not considering covering the drugs.
See the full report here.