GLP-1 Patients Are Going Into Debt To Keep Taking Weight Loss Shots

A new survey finds a large number of people in the United Kingdom are going into debt to pay for weight loss shots.Like, in America, GLP-1s have become very popular in Britain but the government health service will only cover the shots for people meeting very strict weight and health criteria.That has left a lot of people who are not morbidly obese paying out of pocket for the drugs.Around 40 percent of people surveyed by online banking firm thinkmoney say they are turning to credit to fund their treatment and around half are putting the cost of the shots on a credit card. The average debt consumers have related to Wegovy and Zepbound-type treatments has risen to the equivalent of $2,000.Other troubling findings from the survey include that nearly half of patients are burning through savings to continue using the drugs. One in four are overdrafting their bank accounts, and nearly one in five are raiding emergency funds.“For people who’ve spent years trying every diet and program going, the fear of regaining weight is very real, thinkmoney consumer expert Vix Leyton said. “And when that fear starts to outweigh the risk of slipping into debt, it’s a sign that money worries are being pushed aside.”“And when that fear starts to outweigh the risk of slipping into debt, it’s a sign that money worries are being pushed aside.On average, British GLP-1 users are spending close to $300 a month for the shots. That’s still better than most people pay in America.GLP-1 drugs have exploded in popularity in America over the past several years but originally came with price tags above $1,000 a month. Many insurance companies have balked at covering the drugs because of their high prices.The drug makers have recently slashed out-of-pocket costs for American patients but higher doses of the drugs can cost up to $450 a month. About one in eight adults say they are currently taking a GLP-1 drug to lose weight or treat a chronic condition, according to a KFF Health Tracking Poll. That number is expected to grow now that the drugs are entering the market in pill form.The KFF poll found more than a quarter of respondents say they are paying the full cost of the drugs themselves and more than half of GLP-1 users say it was difficult to afford the cost.The Trump administration recently negotiated with the drug companies to lower what they charge Medicaid programs for weight loss drugs. Under the agreement, Medicare enrollees will have access to them sometime next year with a $50 copay.

GLP-1 Patients Are Going Into Debt To Keep Taking Weight Loss Shots

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