Buried in Wegovy Costs, North Carolina Will Stop Paying for Obesity Drugs

Starting April 1, North Carolina state employees will no longer have insurance coverage for expensive weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound.

As of June 2021, the North Carolina State Employees' Insurance Plan paid for 2,800 people to take weight loss medications. p>

Last year, it paid nearly 25,000. Drugs like Wegovy cost the North Carolina state health plan $100 million l last year, what seemed to come out of nowhere to account for 10% of its prescription drug spending.

"This is something we never anticipated said Dale Folwell, the state treasurer, whose office manages the health plan.

Alarmed by the skyrocketing costs, the board he health plan administration voted Thursday to end all coverage of weight-loss drugs, including Wegovy, which accounts for the vast majority of its spending on obesity drugs. The plan will continue to cover versions of medications intended for people with diabetes.

In recent years, appetite suppressant medications have gained popularity because they are extraordinarily effective in helping patients lose weight. Research suggests the drugs can pay for themselves or even save money in the long run, preventing heart attacks and strokes that lead to huge hospital bills.

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