All articles tagged with #medication access
Cassandra Smith, a woman with rheumatoid arthritis, experienced a life-changing improvement after using compounded GLP-1 medications for weight loss, which helped her reduce inflammation, eliminate flare-ups, and improve her overall quality of life, despite insurance not covering the drug.
The rollout of GLP-1 medications for weight loss in the U.S. has been chaotic due to systemic issues like high costs, supply chain problems, regulatory loopholes, and lack of comprehensive policy, highlighting the need for a national strategy to fully harness their potential and address obesity effectively.
Girls and women with ADHD are often underdiagnosed and undertreated, leading to negative life events and early death. The current diagnostic criteria and access to mental health care contribute to this issue, with national shortages of ADHD medications further reducing access. Efforts are being made to develop guidelines for diagnosing and treating ADHD in adults, with a focus on addressing longstanding inequities in diagnosis and treatment, particularly for women.
Costco has partnered with Sesame to offer a weight loss program for its members, providing access to medications from pharmaceutical companies like Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. For $179, members can receive three months of clinical consultation and other services, including prescriptions for popular weight loss drugs. This expanded partnership aims to make high-quality specialty care more accessible and affordable, with a focus on individualized care plans. Other companies, such as WeightWatchers, are also targeting consumers using weight loss-related medications, emphasizing tailored behavioral support.
Prescription rates for Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, a new class of medications used for diabetes and weight loss, are concentrated in wealthier and healthier neighborhoods in New York City, according to an analysis by Trilliant Health. The Upper East Side had the highest rate of usage, while parts of Brooklyn with higher rates of diabetes and obesity had lower usage rates. The medications, which have shown promise in reducing obesity and diabetes, are currently facing barriers in terms of access and availability, with Medicaid generally not covering them for weight-loss purposes. This disparity in access highlights a socioeconomic divide in who has access to these medications, which are in high demand but in short supply.
Amazon Pharmacy is simplifying insulin savings by automatically applying coupons to prescriptions ordered through its service. The digital pharmacy displays pricing with and without insurance, along with potential savings "with coupon if eligible." For uninsured patients, Amazon estimated a 28-day supply of generic insulin at $56.40, but the price dropped to $35 after logging in. Manufacturer medication coupons are not available to those on state or federal healthcare programs. This move has been praised by the American Diabetes Association as an important action to improve access to diabetes treatments.