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GoodRx Reveals Americans Overspent on Weight Loss Medications by $200 Million This Year, Fills Still Surged
In 2024, fills for Wegovy and Zepbound increased by over 100% and 300%, respectively SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- GoodRx (Nasdaq: GDRX), the
About this update from Goodrx Holdings, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"\nIn 2024, fills for Wegovy and Zepbound increased by over 100% and 300%, respectively\n\n\n SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--\nGoodRx (Nasdaq: GDRX), the leading prescription savings platform in the U.S., today released a new Weight Loss Medications Tracker that provides an inside look at fill trends and spending patterns for weight loss medications across the U.S. The company found that limited insurance coverage and high out-of-pocket costs aren’t slowing down interest in popular drugs used for weight loss such as Mounjaro, Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound. In fact, some of these popular drugs have seen fills more than double in just the past year. What’s more, GoodRx’s research shows that Americans overspent by at least $200 million in 2024 by paying the full retail price for their weight loss medications and not leveraging savings available on GoodRx, showcasing an astounding willingness to access these medications at any cost.\n\n\nHighlights from the new research include:\n\n\n\nSurging fill rates: Even as patients grapple with high costs and limited insurance coverage, demand for weight loss medications is skyrocketing. Since the start of 2024, fills for Wegovy and Zepbound increased by 100% and 300%, respectively.\n\n\n\nLimited insurance coverage: Despite growing interest and proven health benefits, GIP and GLP-1 agonists are still not widely covered by insurance when prescribed specifically for weight loss. In fact, nearly 1 in 5 people with commercial insurance have no coverage of GIP and GLP-1 agonists prescribed for weight loss at all. For example, only 9% of people with commercial insurance have unrestricted coverage of Zepbound and just 14% have unrestricted coverage of Wegovy. Even with insurance coverage, out-of-pocket costs are still high with the average person taking Zepbound paying over $2,500 a year in insurance copays.\n\n\n\nRegional disparities: Some states see higher use of weight loss medications than others. Surprisingly, Alaska leads the nation with the highest overall fill rate for weight loss medications. Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Delaware see higher rates for medications specifically targeting weight loss, such as Wegovy, Zepbound, Saxenda, Qsymia, and phentermine.\n\n\n\n“GLP-1 and GIP medications have proven extremely effective in helping reduce and manage weight in overwe...