Weight loss injections of the brands “Wegovy”, “Ozempic” and “Mounjaro” are sold in the pharmacy In der Achat Apotheke in Mitte, Germany.
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A version of this article first appeared in CNBC's Healthy Returns newsletter, which delivers the latest health care news straight to your inbox. Sign up here to receive future editions.
Good evening! A large number of insured Americans may be eligible for a very popular class of weight-loss and diabetes medications called GLP-1s, such as Novo NordiskWegovy and Ozambique.
A new analysis by health policy research organization KFF finds that at least two in five U.S. adults — or more than 57 million people — under age 65 with private insurance may be eligible for GLP-1s based on clinical criteria. That includes more than 36 million people diagnosed with obesity alone.
GLP-1s are approved to treat adults with type 2 diabetes or obesity, or who are overweight and have at least one weight-related health condition, such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. Novo Nordisk’s weight-loss injection Wegovy is also the only GLP-1 approved to reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and death in obese or overweight adults with cardiovascular disease.
But here’s the catch: The number of adults who qualify for these drugs may vary depending on additional requirements set by employer-sponsored health plans. Employers are balancing the high cost of covering GLP-1s, which have a list price of about $1,000 a month, with the clinical benefits and demand from their workers, KFF said.
Employers may impose additional eligibility requirements for coverage, such as higher BMI requirements, KFF said. For example, if employers adopted a BMI threshold of 35 or higher, only 14.6 million adults under age 65 covered by those health plans would be eligible. The current BMI threshold for GLP-1s is 30 or higher (for obese patients) and 27 or higher (for those who are overweight), according to the approval labels for GLP-1 obesity drugs.
Some plans may also cover GLP-1s for diabetes management only, not obesity.
KFF also noted that there were only a “relatively modest number” of people enrolled in employer-sponsored health plans who were claiming GLP-1 as of two years ago. Only 3% of adults with employer coverage had a prescription for one of the drugs in 2022, KFF said. Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic, has been the most commonly prescribed GLP-1 drug since it entered the U.S. market in 2018.
However, KFF noted that “some evidence suggests that ‘GLP-1 use has continued to rise over the past two years,’” beyond the most recent insurance claims data available. According to a KFF survey conducted in May, about 6% of all adults, regardless of insurance coverage, reported that they were currently taking a GLP-1 drug. About 12% reported that they had taken one of these treatments at some point.
More people may also be eligible for GLP-1s when they are approved for new uses. Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly The two companies are currently studying their own drugs as potential treatments for fatty liver disease, chronic kidney disease, and other conditions, and could win approvals for some of those conditions within the next year or so.
Feel free to send any tips, suggestions, story ideas or data to Annika at annikakim.constantino@nbcuni.com.
The Latest in Healthcare Technology: Apple Announces New Health Features for Sleep Apnea and Hearing Aids
Good evening!
apple On Monday, Apple held an event at its Cupertino, California headquarters where it announced a bunch of new products and updates. The company revealed the iPhone 16 lineup, Apple Watch Series 10, and new AirPods, but I thought the new healthcare features stole the show.
“We’re incredibly proud to introduce a first-of-its-kind hearing aid feature, coming this fall with AirPods Pro 2, as well as an innovative way to detect signs of sleep apnea using Apple Watch,” Apple CEO Tim Cook wrote in a blog post on Monday. “These life-changing tools will help people connect more deeply and live healthier lives.”
Here's everything you need to know:
Apple Watch Series 10
Apple says its latest watch can help alert users to sleep apnea, a sleep disorder that can cause a person's breathing to start and stop repeatedly throughout the night.
Sleep apnea affects more than a billion people worldwide, but Apple says 80 percent of people with the condition are undiagnosed. If left untreated, people with sleep apnea may be at greater risk for heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
To detect this condition, the Series 10 uses an accelerometer to measure sleep apnea that occurs during the night. Users can view their nighttime metrics in the Health app. Apple will analyze this sleep apnea data once a month and notify people if they show “consistent signs” of moderate or severe sleep apnea.
The company will also prepare a “detailed report” that users can submit to their doctors.
Apple said the feature’s detection algorithm was developed using “a large dataset of clinical-grade sleep apnea tests,” and has been validated in a clinical study. The company expects the FDA and other regulatory bodies to approve the technology “very soon.”
The Series 10 launches on September 20, but is already available for pre-order. It starts at $399. Sleep apnea notifications will also be available on the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2.
AirPods Pro 2
Apple also introduced new features in AirPods Pro 2 that can help users assess and protect their hearing.
The company said hearing loss can be difficult to detect because it often occurs gradually, so it has created a five-minute hearing test that users can take at home. To take the test, users will simply need to put on their AirPods Pro 2 and tap their screen when they hear sounds at different frequencies and levels.
Apple said the test has been clinically validated and was designed based on real-world data. The results will be stored in the Health app, where users will be able to see their personal hearing profile. People can take the test regularly and access educational materials about hearing loss, the company added.
Once users have undergone a hearing test, individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss can use AirPods Pro 2 as an over-the-counter hearing aid. Apple uses the test results to determine which sounds a person needs to amplify in real time, whether it’s objects in their environment or different parts of speech.
“This will allow you to hear your surroundings better, to help keep you safe, and connect with people nearby so it’s easier to listen and participate in conversations,” said Dr. Sumbul Desai, Apple’s vice president of health, during the event.
Additionally, Desai said users' hearing profiles are automatically applied to phone calls, music and movies across their Apple devices.
Apple said it also expects FDA and other regulatory approval for the hearing aids soon. Hearing testing and hearing aid features will be available in a free software update this fall. AirPods Pro 2 are available for $249.
Apple said it will also add a “Hearing Protection” feature to the AirPods Pro 2 that can reduce users' exposure to potentially harmful environmental noise.
The ear tips on the headphones help passively reduce noise, and Apple says machine learning on the H2 chip that powers the headphones “reduces the loudest, most intermittent noises 48,000 times per second.” Hearing Protection is on by default.
It’s worth noting that Apple is still awaiting regulatory approval, but I think these features cement the company’s position as an innovative player in healthcare. We have more health data than ever before, and Apple seems to be fully aware of that.
The remaining question is whether these health features will be enticing enough to encourage consumers to buy new watches and headphones.
You can read more about Apple's latest announcements here.
Feel free to send any tips, suggestions, story ideas or data to Ashley at ashley.capoot@nbcuni.com.
