Wegovy Promises Relief from Knee Pain for Arthritis and Obesity Patients

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Every week, new research emerges demonstrating the additional health advantages of the weight loss medication Wegovy.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday found that a blockbuster treatment helped alleviate knee pain in patients with a specific type of arthritis and obesity.

Wegovy's active ingredient, semaglutide, is being studied by Novo Nordisk for other potential treatment uses, and the study was funded by the company.

The 68-week trial results could lead to regulatory approval of semaglutide for osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease that causes cartilage and bone in joints to break down over time.

Another possible expansion of the accepted uses for the blockbuster drug.

Around 33 million people in the U.S. are affected by the most common type of arthritis, which is not a regular part of aging but is common among adults 45 and above, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What is the link between the condition and obesity? According to Dr. Henning Bliddal, director and research professor at The Parker Institute in Denmark, the risk of developing the condition is four times higher in people with obesity, as stated in the trial's lead study.

Reducing knee osteoarthritis symptoms can be achieved through weight loss, but sticking to those lifestyle changes can be difficult, Bliddal stated. Unfortunately, there are limited effective treatments for the condition.

Bliddal stated that there is a considerable demand for non-invasive and enduring therapies for individuals with obesity-related osteoarthritis.

Let's dive into more details on the trial.

The study involved approximately 400 patients with knee osteoarthritis, with an average age of 56 and about 80% of the group being women, who are more likely to develop osteoarthritis than men.

Participants received either semaglutide injections or placebos for 68 weeks, along with instructions on maintaining low-calorie diets and incorporating exercise into their routines.

Individuals with osteoarthritis who followed a diet, exercised, and received semaglutide experienced greater weight loss and knee pain reduction compared to those who only dieted and exercised. In the trial, those who took semaglutide lost an average of 13.7% of their body weight, or approximately 32.7 pounds, compared to 2.9% among those who received a placebo.

The trial found that changes in body weight were associated with decreases in pain, as measured by a specific index on a scale of 0 to 100. On average, patients in the study had an initial pain score of 70.9.

Those who received semaglutide experienced a greater reduction in pain, with an average decrease of 42 points, compared to the placebo group's average decrease of 27.5 points.

The effectiveness of semaglutide in reducing body weight may not be consistent for all patients, particularly those with mild obesity or overweight. Since the majority of trial participants had a high BMI, researchers must validate the findings in other populations.

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Medicare Advantage is now a battleground on two fronts

The major insurers are experiencing conflict over Private Medicare Advantage plans, which is currently being played out on two fronts.

The government is battling with them over stricter quality ratings, which are causing profit headwinds at a time when medical costs are increasing due to their senior members.

The conflict between major managed care players and hospitals, where most of the higher spending is taking place, is causing an additional headache.

UnitedHealth is simultaneously challenging the government's decision to lower its star quality ratings and raising concerns about hospitals that it claims are overcharging patients.

Hospital operators Community Health, HCA, and Tenet Health mentioned that they experienced "more aggressive" denials from certain payers during their earnings calls.

Medicare Advantage plans are increasingly being rejected by hospitals due to the growing bitterness of rate negotiations with some carriers.

The increasing number of seniors on private Medicare Advantage plans could lead to growing disruptions in their coverage.

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Latest in health-care technology: Change Healthcare breach hit at least 100 million Americans

Last week, Change Healthcare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, set a new record for the largest health-care data breach reported to federal regulators.

The Change Healthcare cyberattack affected at least 100 million Americans, surpassing the previous record of 78.8 million patients set by Anthem in 2015, according to an updated figure published on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights' breach portal.

In May, UnitedHealth CEO Andrew Witty estimated that about one-third of Americans had been affected, and the company started sending written notices to those impacted in late July.

Medical providers and payers can utilize Healthcare's payment and revenue cycle management tools, along with other solutions such as electronic prescription software. In February, UnitedHealth announced that a cyber threat actor had breached part of their information technology network.

The disruption caused by UnitedHealth's disconnection of affected systems resulted in a ripple effect across the U.S. health-care sector. Doctors were temporarily unable to fill prescriptions or receive payment for their services, and some providers had to take thousands of dollars out of their savings to keep their doors open.

After the breach, UnitedHealth paid a $22 million ransom to the hackers, restored systems and confirmed that personal information files were compromised in the attack.

The type of data exposed in the breach varies from person to person, according to UnitedHealth's website. This means that patients' contact information, health insurance information, medical records, billing and payment information could have been accessed.

Individuals who believe they have been affected can receive two years of free identity theft protection and credit monitoring from UnitedHealth. They can contact a dedicated call center or speak with a clinician for emotional support services.

Patients should monitor their tax returns, explanation of benefits, bank and credit card statements, as advised by UnitedHealth's website.

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