WeightWatchers offering new plan that includes prescription weight loss drugs (2024)
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Watching what you eat, exercising and counting points has been the way customers on WeightWatchers have been shedding pounds for years. But now, there's a new tool they can add.
It's been a month since the company started offering popular weight loss drugs, giving people a new option to help them lose weight.
Melanie Ressa, 32, says she's struggled with her weight her whole life.
When she first joined WeightWatchers in 2021, Melanie lost 60 pounds. But when the chaos of life kicked back in, she said things changed.
"I reverted back to a lot of those habits that were comforting to me which was eating. So stress eating and emotional eating," Ressa said.
Ressa gained back half the weight she had lost.
"That's when I kind of switched over to the GLP-1 Plan," she said.
It's a newer option that WeightWatchers offers.
"When you think of obesity as a biological disease or condition, you've got to start thinking about using biological tools to help more people," said Dr. Spencer Nadolsky. the medical director for WeightWatchers.
Nadolsky said the company's new program which offers the latest anti-obesity meds is a paradigm shift. It involves treating obesity as an illness rather than simply a lack of willpower.
"They feel like it's a moral failing. And now we think of it differently, like, hey, this is biological, it's not your fault," Nadolsky said.
Semaglutide drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound mimic a naturally-occurring hormone that works with the brain to suppress appetite.
Ressa says it's helped reduce the "food noise" in her head.
"It has been so life changing for me," she said.
But she says people shouldn't think of it as a "magic pill." "
That's not the case, you still have to work the program and have healthy lifestyles," she explained.
Weightwatchers offers a lifestyle guidance program for those already taking anti-obesity meds prescribed from their own doctor.
WeightWatchers members may also be eligible to receive Ozempic and Rybelsus and other Type 2 diabetes drugs often prescribed off label to treat obesity.
"We have a whole prior authorization team that helps you jump through the hoops of insurance, because that's really one of the big issues," Nadolsky said.
Common side effects include nausea, injection site reactions and headache.
For access to clinicians who can prescribe weight loss medications, WeightWatchers members pay a $99 monthly fee, which does not include the price of the drugs.
Medication costs vary depending on a person's insurance.
Just because these popular weight loss drugs are now an option, it doesn't mean it's for everyone.
Stephanie De La Torre, 38, has been battling weight gain for 12 years. She's a true believer of the company's traditional point system combined with peer support. She says what works for her may not work for somebody else.
But De La Torre appreciates the new weight loss tools, which she believes is a win for everyone.
"They give us choices to make and it's our own personal choice to take it," she said.
Ressa says anti-obesity meds made the holidays much easier for her to navigate.
For 2024, her top goal is to create a new self-care mindset.
"I'm a lot kinder to other people than I ever have been to myself", she said. "And I really want to try and be nice to myself. I deserve it."
Experts say nearly three quarters of Americans are struggling with their weight and many people are now using a medication originally intended to help with another issue. Lately, it's been gaining more widespread acceptance.
For access to clinicians who can prescribe weight loss medications, WeightWatchers members pay a $99 monthly fee, which does not include the price of the drugs. Medication costs
Medication costs
The dispensed price or prescription cost is defined as a cost which the patient has to pay to get medicines or treatments which are written as directions on prescription by a prescribers.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Medication_costs
Mounjaro — made by Lilly — was approved in 2022 to help with diabetes; in 2023, it received FDA approval for use in weight loss as Zepbound. In addition to targeting GLP-1, these dual-agonist drugs target an additional hormone to regulate appetite and help people feel full.
A package of Wegovy contains four pens, each pre-filled with a single dose of Wegovy. Without insurance, the cost of Wegovy is $1,349.02 per month or 28-day package, which breaks down to $269.80 per week or $16,188.24 per year. Even without health insurance, it is possible to bring down the cost of Wegovy.
Winfrey, who in December admitted to using weight loss medication, empathized with the guests who shared why they turned to prescription medications such as Ozempic, Mounjaro, Victoza and Wegovy. "This is what I got for the first time after I took the medication.
Without insurance or discounts, Wegovy can cost more than $1,200 a month. If you're eligible for Novo Nordisk's Wegovy savings card program, you could get a 28-day supply or one box of Wegovy for $25.
The support program is included in the company's $23 monthly membership. For additional access to clinicians who can prescribe weight loss medications, members will pay a $99 monthly fee – excluding the price of the medication. Customers can also receive a prescription from their primary care physician if they prefer.
How to save on the cost of Ozempic without insurance. If you don't have insurance coverage, you can still get Ozempics at a cheaper price. Some websites, such as GoodRx, source Ozempic coupons from various retailers — including Costco, CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart — which can help you save on the cost of Ozempic.
If you have private or commercial insurance, such as insurance you receive through an employer, you may be eligible to pay as little as $25 for a 1-, 2-, or 3-month prescription (maximum savings of $150 per 1-month prescription, $300 per 2-month prescription, or $450 per 3-month prescription).
During an interview with “The View” host Whoopi Goldberg on Monday's “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” Clarkson admitted to taking a weight loss drug to lose weight. In January, Clarkson told People magazine that diet and exercise helped her slim down. She made no mention of weight loss drugs.
The injectable weight loss medication Wegovy is available at New City Halstead Pharmacy in Chicago, Illinois, on April 24, 2024. Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have long dominated the rapidly growing weight loss drug market, but their duopoly is closer than ever to facing a threat from a new rival.
Phentermine is the oldest and most widely used weight loss medication. It was originally used as a short-term medication to jump-start weight loss, but now newer medical guidelines have added it to long-term therapy. Some patients may lose about 5% of their body weight by taking phentermine.
Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) announced an investigation into the "unjustifiably high prices" of Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy. The list price for Ozempic, which is approved for diabetes, is $969 a month, or $11,628 a year.The list price of Wegovy, approved for obesity, is $1,349 a month, or $16,188 a year.
Zepbound (tirzepatide) and Saxenda (liraglutide) work in a similar way as Wegovy. But, they may also have limited availability. Weight-loss pills, such as Contrave (naltrexone / bupropion) and Qsymia (phentermine / topiramate ER), are available but may not result in as much weight loss.
Oftentimes health insurers deny Wegovy. Not only is it expensive, but the Affordable Care Act doesn't require insurers to cover obesity medications. This page provides an overview of Wegovy and health insurance claims.
For consumers, the GLP-1 program starts at $23 a month, while WeightWatchers Clinic costs $99 a month but doesn't include the cost of prescription medications.
Sequence is a telehealth provider that offers users access to drugs used to treat diabetes and obesity under the brand names including Ozempic, Wegovy and Trulicity. The drugs all work by the same mechanism: They trigger the release of insulin, block sugar production in the liver and suppress appetite.
It depends on factors like your health history, medical needs, and treatment goals. While Ozempic is the preferred option for blood sugar control and cardiovascular risk in adults with diabetes, Wegovy may be a better option for people living with obesity. Talk with your healthcare provider about both options.
While insurers receive rebates to offset some of their costs, the list prices of GLP-1 drugs are about $1,000 per month, and growing demand for these medications could put upward pressure on premiums.
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