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My wife is 62 and wouldn't qualify for Medicare for three more years. In the meantime, she sees a local nurse practitioner for high blood pressure and a few minor concerns. Pays out of pocket.
And since she has no drug insurance, I enrolled her in Walgreen’s drug plan which saves her almost 50%.
I was surprised to learn her blood pressure medication is cheap but then so is the medication (rosuvastatin) I take to help keep my cholesterol in check. Why is this? My guess is because such medication is widely used.
Now, it's been suggested 1/4 of all seniors on a Medicare drug plan could end up taking Wegovy.
I’m sure at some point the cost will drop esp. after say a good 25-30% off the US population ends up taking the drug.
It is not uncommon for generic drugs to be cheaper using the above mentioned apps and websites than deductibles.
Over time we are bound to see more competition with drugs like Wegovy. So costs can come down with negotiations, competition and volume.
My wife is 62 and wouldn't qualify for Medicare for three more years. In the meantime, she sees a local nurse practitioner for high blood pressure and a few minor concerns. Pays out of pocket.
And since she has no drug insurance, I enrolled her in Walgreen’s drug plan which saves her almost 50%.
I was surprised to learn her blood pressure medication is cheap but then so is the medication (rosuvastatin) I take to help keep my cholesterol in check. Why is this? My guess is because such medication is widely used.
Now, it's been suggested 1/4 of all seniors on a Medicare drug plan could end up taking Wegovy.
I’m sure at some point the cost will drop esp. after say a good 25-30% off the US population ends up taking the drug.
Until then it's probably cheaper to just go down to Mexico and buy the same drug for $200.
Plenty of Americans were doing that for insulin...it was much cheaper in Mexico.
You can just be fat without any "chronic disease".
I guess all the worry over weight loss drug coverage means that the "body positive" movement was a sham and a lie ?
People DO care about being skinny and want the government to cover the cost.
This is the miracle drug...take it and you can still eat whatever you want. The drug will keep you from binging.
Toss all those "Lean Cuisines" out in the garbage and bring on the chocolate cake !!!
I will surprisingly agree with you, except that being on these drugs causes you to not want to eat anything. I have personally gone all day before realizing that I haven't eaten. I'm just not hungry often and when I am ready to eat, nothing really appeals. You seem to be under the impression that by taking these meds it will cause you to be able to eat a chocolate cake and not gain weight. In addition to the physical benefits that you get to your body, it also help people to not crave things like drugs and alcohol.
All your comment does is show that you have no idea how this medication works.
I like Medicare which includes Part D and my UHC supplemental Plan G.
Under the Medicare guildlines I can shop around for Part D based on the medications I take.
However, UHC told me it was Medicare decision to add additional drugs (along with a 2025 change in Medicare) which caused the jump.
As I mentioned my UHC Part D drug plan jumped from $28 on 2023 to $46 in 2024. I won't be surprised if it jumps to $70 a month in 2025.
At the end of this year when the 2025 Part D premiums are released (with Wegovy added) I will shop around. I will look for a Plan D where I pay more out of pocket and hopefully keep premiums much lower. I take *budesonide (5 mg) once every three days and two other medications.
In any case I can afford the hit but seniors on tight budget. Good luck.
*Medicare prescription drug plans typically list budesonide on Tier 3 of their formulary. Generally, the higher the tier, the more you have to pay for the medication.
Why are you assuming that the change in premiums are due primarily due to the addition of drugs to their formulary? You admit that there was another factor in pricing changes but don't seem to attribute any of the reason for an increase to that.
My wife is 62 and wouldn't qualify for Medicare for three more years. In the meantime, she sees a local nurse practitioner for high blood pressure and a few minor concerns. Pays out of pocket.
And since she has no drug insurance, I enrolled her in Walgreen’s drug plan which saves her almost 50%.
I was surprised to learn her blood pressure medication is cheap but then so is the medication (rosuvastatin) I take to help keep my cholesterol in check. Why is this? My guess is because such medication is widely used.
Now, it's been suggested 1/4 of all seniors on a Medicare drug plan could end up taking Wegovy.
I’m sure at some point the cost will drop esp. after say a good 25-30% off the US population ends up taking the drug.
I would be surprised if seniors end up on Wegovy more likely type 2 diabetics will be prescribed Ozempic so many of them out there just a senior trying to lose weight. It does work better then drugs like Metformin which is cheap insurance companies love Metformin actually used off label for insulin resistance. Metformin doesn't do anything for insulin resistance only weight loss and a low carb diet can reverse that.
Ozempic actually causes weight loss that will reverse the insulin resistance. I know two co-workers who are on it I'm not type 2 but have always been pre-diabetic I can control it with low carbohydrate diet. The thought of sticking a needle in daily doesn't sit well with me. The problem with Metformin is they don't change their diet insulin resistance gets worse next step is insulin injection. I worked with a guy who was at least 200 lbs. over weight he was using a insulin pump. I asked him about his diet his excuse was the pump takes care of it I can eat whatever I want.
I would be surprised if seniors end up on Wegovy more likely type 2 diabetics will be prescribed Ozempic so many of them out there just a senior trying to lose weight. It does work better then drugs like Metformin which is cheap insurance companies love Metformin actually used off label for insulin resistance. Metformin doesn't do anything for insulin resistance only weight loss and a low carb diet can reverse that.
Ozempic actually causes weight loss that will reverse the insulin resistance. I know two co-workers who are on it I'm not type 2 but have always been pre-diabetic I can control it with low carbohydrate diet. The thought of sticking a needle in daily doesn't sit well with me. The problem with Metformin is they don't change their diet insulin resistance gets worse next step is insulin injection. I worked with a guy who was at least 200 lbs. over weight he was using a insulin pump. I asked him about his diet his excuse was the pump takes care of it I can eat whatever I want.
These drugs are only administered once a week and the injection is virtually undetectable, especially for the ones that use an auto-injection pen. I believe that Ozempic is still a multi-dose pen that requires you to change the needle for each injection. With the other pens, I'm not sure what the gage is, but I will often wonder if it really went in but since there isn't a puddle of medicine, I know it went it. I think the ease of administration is one of the biggest benefits, I was horrible at remembering to take a pill daily or even my daily injections when I was on insulin. I'm sure that better compliance is also another reason that diabetics are seeing great results.
Also, like I have said before, the drugs are resulting in changed diets. First of all, it isn't a eat whatever you want situation. Most people will have a change in how often the feel like eating, and will lose a craving for certain foods, and some people start to find some "bad" foods unappealing.
Why are you assuming that the change in premiums are due primarily due to the addition of drugs to their formulary? You admit that there was another factor in pricing changes but don't seem to attribute any of the reason for an increase to that.
Because that's what UHC told me. I called to inquire if the jump in premiums was due to the Budesonide (tier 3 drug.) My total cost for the year was just over 3k (which I paid a fraction.)
I then asked about the below and told this too was a factor. However, it was the addition of new drugs the agent initally citied. He didn't bring up the below...I did..
Quote:
A new law limiting how much Medicare enrollees pay for out-of-pocket prescription drug costs is set to get phased in starting in 2025.
For retirees, that will contribute to higher Medicare Part D premiums in 2024. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/11/21/reti...s-in-2024.html
In any event 2025 Wegovy will be included and I suspect this will mean another hike in Part D monthly premiums. But... this might help keep monthly premiums down.
Quote:
Based on the list price of $1,300 per month (not including rebates or other discounts negotiated by pharmacy benefit managers), Wegovy could be covered as a specialty tier drug, where Part D plans are allowed to charge coinsurance of 25% to 33%. Because coinsurance amounts are pegged to the list price, Medicare beneficiaries required to pay coinsurance could face monthly costs of $325 to $430 before they reach the new cap on annual out-of-pocket drug spending established by the Inflation Reduction Act – around $3,300 in 2024, based on brand drugs only, and $2,000 in 2025. But even paying $2,000 out of pocket would still be beyond the reach of many people with Medicare who live on modest incomes. Ultimately, how much beneficiaries pay out of pocket will depend on Part D plan coverage and formulary tier placement of Wegovy. https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-b...5%20to%2033%25
At the end of this year when the Part D 2025 premiums are released (with Wegovy added) I will shop around.
I will look for a Plan D where I pay more out of pocket and hopefully keep my premiums about the same. If not, I can afford the hit. My social security won’t be much (maybe $700- will collect in two years.) However, it will cover my Medicare, UHC supplement and a drug plan which I suspect will only increase in the coming years.
These drugs are only administered once a week and the injection is virtually undetectable, especially for the ones that use an auto-injection pen. I believe that Ozempic is still a multi-dose pen that requires you to change the needle for each injection. With the other pens, I'm not sure what the gage is, but I will often wonder if it really went in but since there isn't a puddle of medicine, I know it went it. I think the ease of administration is one of the biggest benefits, I was horrible at remembering to take a pill daily or even my daily injections when I was on insulin. I'm sure that better compliance is also another reason that diabetics are seeing great results.
Also, like I have said before, the drugs are resulting in changed diets. First of all, it isn't a eat whatever you want situation. Most people will have a change in how often the feel like eating, and will lose a craving for certain foods, and some people start to find some "bad" foods unappealing.
And I suspect many more will continue making poor food choices. Why cut back on crap when you can take a pill. Yes, Wegovy isn't a cure-all for obesity. However, my guess is many will see it as such regardless of what a doctor tells them. If they had followed their doctor orders in the first place I suspect many wouldn't have balloned up.
These drugs are only administered once a week and the injection is virtually undetectable, especially for the ones that use an auto-injection pen. I believe that Ozempic is still a multi-dose pen that requires you to change the needle for each injection. With the other pens, I'm not sure what the gage is, but I will often wonder if it really went in but since there isn't a puddle of medicine, I know it went it. I think the ease of administration is one of the biggest benefits, I was horrible at remembering to take a pill daily or even my daily injections when I was on insulin. I'm sure that better compliance is also another reason that diabetics are seeing great results.
Also, like I have said before, the drugs are resulting in changed diets. First of all, it isn't a eat whatever you want situation. Most people will have a change in how often the feel like eating, and will lose a craving for certain foods, and some people start to find some "bad" foods unappealing.
I never really looked into how it was administered other then I rather not inject something on a regular bases. I believe Ozempic is better then using Metformin because it resolves the underlying problem then throwing more insulin at the problem.
I rather lose weight without drugs my doctor told me that Ozempic and Wegovy both have to keep using them or you gain the weight back. That to me says people only change their diet because these drugs are reducing their craving to eat more. Once you stop taking them the craving comes back maybe even worse now you want to eat even more.
I have lost over 50lbs without any drugs it's not easy, but what motivated me fear of type 2 diabetes.
I will surprisingly agree with you, except that being on these drugs causes you to not want to eat anything. I have personally gone all day before realizing that I haven't eaten. I'm just not hungry often and when I am ready to eat, nothing really appeals. You seem to be under the impression that by taking these meds it will cause you to be able to eat a chocolate cake and not gain weight. In addition to the physical benefits that you get to your body, it also help people to not crave things like drugs and alcohol.
All your comment does is show that you have no idea how this medication works.
Actually I do have an idea. My comment is based on what the "internet people" are chatting about.
Oprah admitting she's on those drugs set off a firestorm on the internet.
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