Medicare beneficiaries can now get access to the weight loss drug Wegoby through their insurance plan, even if they don’t have diabetes.

Previously, weight loss drugs such as Wegoby and Ozempic were excluded from Medicare coverage unless the beneficiary had diabetes and needed help improving blood sugar levels.

Wegovy has now been approved for coverage for Medicare patients with a history of heart disease. wall street journal report. In early March, the Food and Drug Administration approved Wegovy for use in reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The drug was found to reduce cardiovascular risk by about 20 percent.

Doctors will now be able to prescribe the drug to older people who also have a history of heart disease or stroke and are struggling with their weight. The same is true for people with disabilities who receive Medicare.

The update is the first step in what proponents of weight loss drugs like Wegoby and Ozempic hope for mass approval of anti-obesity drugs for conditions other than diabetes.

Weight loss drugs could be prescribed and approved for millions of Americans because obesity is linked to a variety of health problems, including heart disease and cancer. Currently, paying for this type of medication without insurance can be expensive, and Wegovy’s monthly supply is said to be more than $1,300 for him.

Now that Medicare has started approving weight-loss drugs for conditions other than diabetes, many people are hoping that private health insurance companies will also provide coverage.

But Wegovy’s approval for Medicare beneficiaries with heart disease could have significant financial implications.

according to New England Medical Journal, approximately 10 million Medicare beneficiaries are obese. Even if only 1 in 10 of her Medicare beneficiaries started using her Wegovy, her Part D Medicare spending could increase by $26.8 billion, or nearly 20% of annual payments. There is a gender. If that happens, Part D plan premiums are likely to rise.

Despite the economic impact, Barb Herrera, who runs the website HealthAtAnyCost.com, said Wegobee’s new approval for heart disease will ultimately save lives.

“I’m very happy to see Medicare paying for Wegovy for people with various heart conditions, because it’s definitely going to save a lot of lives,” Herrera said. . newsweek. “It’s clear that these drugs can help many people, not just people with diabetes or obesity.”

Herrera, who lost 200 pounds in two years, said her only worry was whether she would be able to make ends meet. She had trouble finding Munjaro, and she said many others have reported difficulty finding treatments like semaglutide and tirzepatide.

“How will we find drugs as the market becomes more crowded?” Herrera added.

Sue Decotis, a New York weight loss doctor, echoed Herrera’s concerns about the availability of Wigoby, as it is already in short supply. The shortage could create hurdles for new patients.

“If Wegobee were to be covered by heart disease insurance, there would be a lot of background checks,” Decotis said. newsweek. “There are so many drugs to treat heart failure, but you may need to prove that other drugs haven’t worked for this patient before you prescribe this drug first for treatment.” there is no.”

Doctors may need to give more permissions in advance, she added.

“Heart failure cannot be cured,” Decotis says. “This can be a lifelong prescription. When you have someone who is prescribed medication for a problem like this, what do you do if they can’t get the medication because of a shortage? It can be very dangerous if you’re on top of that. ”

Under Medicare, Ozempic and Munjaro, which use the same ingredients as Wegoby, are only approved to treat type 2 diabetes. As a result, Medicare beneficiaries with heart disease will still be unable to access Medicare.