Nearly eight out of ten insured American patients using Wegovy are paying less than $25 per month for their treatment.

• U.S. patients with insurance coverage who use Wegovy, a highly popular weight loss treatment from Novo Nordisk, are paying less than $25 a month for the drug.
• Many insured Americans do not have to pay the full cost of a monthly package of Wegovy, which is priced at approximately $1,350.
• According to Doug Langa, Novo Nordisk's vice president for North America, Wegovy is being covered by most major health plans and pharmacy benefit managers.

On Thursday, it was reported that 80% of U.S. patients with insurance coverage who use Wegovy, a highly popular weight loss treatment, pay less than $25 a month for the drug.

Many insured Americans do not have to pay the full cost of Wegovy, which is priced at approximately $1,350 per month, as many U.S. health insurers are reluctant to cover the drug due to its high cost, despite a growing demand for it.

On a third-quarter earnings call on Thursday, Novo Nordisk's vice president for North America, Doug Langa, stated that most major health plans and pharmacy benefit managers are covering Wegovy.

Although some employers are choosing not to provide coverage for the weekly injection, Langa observed that the number of insurers offering coverage is increasing.

Approximately 50 million Americans with obesity could potentially receive Wegovy coverage under their health plans, according to an estimate.

Langa stated during the call that we are moving in the right direction and our focus will remain on obtaining employer coverage and improving access for Americans.

The out-of-pocket cost of Wegovy is $25, which may accumulate over time. Patients need to use Wegovy for several months to achieve and maintain significant weight loss.

Clinical trials on Wegovy show that it leads to a 15% weight loss after 68 weeks.

Some health insurers are reluctant to cover weight loss drugs like Wegovy, which work by mimicking a gut hormone to suppress appetite, due to the longer treatment duration.

The high cost of medications that are usually taken for extended periods is putting a strain on insurers' budgets, with an average monthly cost of approximately $1,000.

Wegovy's heart health benefits may persuade insurers to cover the medication and similar weight loss treatments, as Novo Nordisk hopes.

A study showed that Wegovy decreased the likelihood of cardiovascular events, including heart attack and stroke, by 20%. This implies that Wegovy and other medications for obesity and diabetes, such as those being developed by Eli Lilly, may have long-term positive effects on health beyond just weight loss.

The US Food and Drug Administration may grant expanded approval to Wegovy as a treatment for reducing cardiovascular disease risk within six months, according to Novo Nordisk Chief Financial Officer Karsten Munk Knudsen's statement on CNBC on Thursday.

According to the National Institutes of Health, more than half of American adults are overweight.

About 1 in 11 adults have severe obesity.