Some major U.S. health insurers, including CVS Health Inc (NYSE:CVS), Elevance Health Inc (NYSE:ELV), and Kaiser Permanente will start reimbursing for Novo Nordisk A/S’s (NYSE:NVO) Wegovy, a popular anti-obesity drug, for specific individuals on Medicare who have heart-related conditions.
These insurers have committed to covering Wegovy for individuals meeting specific criteria, including those with cardiovascular disease and meeting body-weight standards under Medicare drug-benefit plans.
Additionally, Elevance Health has extended coverage to individuals insured by commercial plans.
This move marks a significant shift as weight-loss drugs, including Wegovy, had previously been excluded from Medicare coverage due to U.S. legislation, and private health plans had been reluctant to reimburse them due to their high costs.
The decisions by these insurers aim to alleviate the financial burden on individuals who were previously ...