WASHINGTON — Medicare will possible select the weight problems drug semaglutide for value negotiation “throughout the subsequent few years,” in response to a brand new evaluation from nonpartisan congressional finances consultants. That would curb the price of laws requiring Medicare to cowl weight problems medicine, which might enhance the possibilities of Congress really passing such a invoice.
Proper now, Medicare by legislation can’t cowl weight problems medicine, although Medicare pays for seniors to take the identical medicines for situations like diabetes and coronary heart issues. Laws that will eliminate the broader protection restriction hasn’t gained traction, largely as a result of it might value the federal government a lot cash if Medicare instantly coated the dear medicines. The worth of a four-week provide of Wegovy and its GLP-1 competitor Zepbound, ranges from about $1,100 to $1,300.
Well being care analysts have predicted for a while that Medicare would select Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide Wegovy for value negotiation quickly, on account of its value to Medicare as a diabetes therapy. However it’s notable that the Congressional Finances Workplace additionally anticipates semaglutide might be topic to Medicare negotiation quickly, in response to Ben Ippolito, a analysis fellow on the American Enterprise Institute who’s engaged on a venture associated to Medicare protection of weight problems medicine.
