OF COURSE, YOU CAN SEE MORE OF
KRISTIN’S INTERVIEW WITH STEPHEN
BREYER THIS SUNDAY ON "MEET THE
PRESS."
LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.
>>> MILLIONS OF AMERICANS MAY
SOON HAVE ACCESS TO A POPULAR
DRUG FOR WEIGHT LOSS.
ITS PLANS CAN COVER WEGOVY BUT
ONLY FOR CERTAIN PATIENTS.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, OF COURSE, SHE
IS HERE WITH MORE.
CHRISTINE, GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> HOW MANY AMERICANS COULD THIS
AFFECT IN THE FUTURE?
>> IT IS FAIR TO SAY MILLIONS.
THIS COULD BE MILLIONS OF
AMERICANS.
YOU HAVE 65 MILLION AMERICANS ON
MEDICARE.
FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE HEART
DISEASE, RISK OF STROKE, THEIR
DOCTORS CAN NOW PRESCRIBE THIS,
THIS IMPORTANT DRUG TO HELP THEM
REDUCE THE RISK OF HEART ATTACK,
STROKE AND OTHER SERIOUS
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE.
THIS IS REALLY A GAME CHANGER
FOR PUBLIC HEALTH.
MEDICARE IS NOT ALLOWED BY LAW
TO COVER WEIGHT LOSS BECAUSE OF
THE PHEN-PHEN SCANDAL 20 YEARS
AGO, BUT IT CAN COVER IT FOR
HEART DISEASE, WHICH GOES ALONG
WITH OBESITY.
70% OF AMERICANS SUFFER FROM
BEING OVERNIGHT OR OBESITY.
THIS IS A BIG POPULATION OF
PEOPLE.
>> WHAT IF YOU DO WANT TO GET IT
COVERED FOR WEIGHT LOSS?
>> IT IS STILL OUT OF THE
QUESTION.
YOU HAVE TO TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR
ABOUT WHETHER YOU ARE AT HIGHER
RISK FOR HEART DISEASE BECAUSE
OF YOUR OBESITY, RIGHT?
SO THAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT HERE.
BUT THERE IS ALSO THE PROBLEM
WITH HOW MUCH IT COSTS.
IF YOU DON’T HAVE THIS
PRESCRIPTION, I MEAN, IT IS
$1,300 FOR ONE PACKAGE THAT
LASTS A MONTH.
$16,000 FOR A YEAR’S SUPPLY.
MOSTLY THEY MIMIC WHAT MEDICARE
DOES.
BUT HERE’S THE THING.
WE KNOW THAT BEING OVERWEIGHT IS
VERY EXPENSIVE IN TERMS OF YOUR
LIFETIME OF MEDICAL RISKS.
SO INSURERS HAVE TO START
WEIGHING WHETHER IT IS IMPORTANT
TO GET MORE PEOPLE THESE DRUGS
WHO CAN TOLERATE IT SO THEY CAN