Obesity / Overweight | Access & Reimbursement | US | 2020
Even though obesity is a significant public health concern that poses a substantial socioeconomic burden on the U.S. healthcare system, the reimbursement environment for antiobesity agents is very challenging. With limited options, the unmet need for safe and effective therapies remains high. Phentermine, widely available as a low-cost generic and frequently used as a first-line therapy, is indicated only for three months. Other approved antiobesity agents, such as Novo Nordisk’s Saxenda (liraglutide), Vivus’s Qsymia (phentermine / topiramate), and Currax Pharmaceuticals’ Contrave (naltrexone / bupropion) have high out-of-pocket costs. This report offers insight into payer policies regarding prescription weight-loss agents and their impact on physician prescribing, as well as how payer policy may change in the near future as awareness of obesity as a disease grows.
Questions answered
- What is the current state of coverage of key antiobesity therapies such as Saxenda, Qsymia, and Contrave? What restrictions do payers impose?
- How do payers anticipate reimbursing emerging therapies such as Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide and Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide? What restrictions will they impose on these drugs?
- What are endocrinologists’ opinions of semaglutide and tirzepatide? How do endocrinologists expect to prescribe the agents?
Geography: United States
Primary research: Survey of 91 U.S. endocrinologists and survey of 31 U.S. managed care organization (MCO) pharmacy directors (PDs)
Key drugs covered: Saxenda, Qsymia, Contrave, Xenical
Product description
U.S. Access & Reimbursement provides integrated brand- and disease-level insight on reimbursement dynamics and the impact of U.S. payer policy on physician prescribing behavior in the market access environment, including up-to-date analysis of drug coverage and restriction policies and payer and prescriber perspectives on key marketed drugs and receptivity to emerging therapies.
