Health
Michigan’s Largest Insurer to Drop Weight-Loss Drug Coverage
- Insurer says it considered efficacy, safety, access and cost
- Nearly 10,000 people on drugs will be affected by the change
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Weight-loss drugs from Novo Nordisk A/S and Eli Lilly & Co. will lose coverage under many plans run by Michigan’s largest health insurer as companies grapple with whether the drugs are worth the cost.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan will drop coverage of GLP-1 obesity drugs in fully insured large group commercial plans starting in January, a spokesperson said, a move that will affect nearly 10,000 people on the medications. The insurer’s spokesperson cited consideration of the drugs’ effectiveness, safety and cost in reaching this decision, but did not respond to a question about what the safety concerns were.