Though payers are hesitant to offer broad coverage of weight loss drugs, 4 in 5 adults say insurers should cover drugs like Ozempic or Wegovy for adults diagnosed as overweight or obese, according to a survey from KFF.
The survey, published Aug. 4, found interest in the drugs is high, with 45 percent of those surveyed responding they would be interested in taking a safe and effective drug to lose weight.
Just 16 percent of those surveyed said they would be interested in taking the drug if their insurance did not pay for it.
Around half of respondents said insurers should cover weight loss drugs for anyone who wants to lose weight, not just individuals diagnosed as being overweight or obese. Half of respondents also said insurance should cover the drugs even if it would increase premium costs.
According to data from weight management platform Found, 69 percent of patients do not have insurance coverage as of June for GLP-1s for anti-obesity or diabetes, a 50 percent decline in coverage since December 2022.
The survey was conducted July 11-19 among a sample of 1,327 U.S. adults.
See the full survey here.