When Ruth Gonzalez decided to start taking the weight-loss medicine Zepbound last year, she first had to find a way to afford its roughly $350 (£260) monthly cost. To manage this burden, Gonzalez switched her mobile phone plan, dropped all but one of her streaming subscriptions, limited her grocery spending, and cut out Starbucks.
The 56-year-old, who is self-employed and pays out of her own pocket as her health insurance does not cover weight-loss drugs, says the financial sacrifices have been worth it. Her blood pressure, which had spurred her to seek medication, returned to normal within six weeks and she lost more than 40lb (18kg). She hopes this weight loss will assist in her management of other health issues, including sleep apnea.
In December, Zepbound-maker Eli Lilly lowered the price of its vials by $50-$100 (£37.50-£75), allowing her to consider a more potent, and previously unaffordable, dosage. She looks forward to the anticipated release of a new, lower-cost weight-loss pill by the company.
Gonzalez's experience epitomizes the shifting landscape in the weight-loss drug market, where fierce competition has led to substantial price reductions. A starting dose of Wegovy now costs $149 a month, down from over $1,600 at launch in 2021, while Zepbound’s starting price has dropped to $299 from more than $1,000 in 2023.
Despite these reductions, weight-loss medications remain prohibitively expensive for many Americans. Shekinah Samayah-Thomas, a California resident, has had to extend her remaining supply of Wegovy since the state’s Medicaid program ceased coverage for weight loss. With her and her husband currently out of work, she finds it impossible to afford even previous lower rates.
As health advocates push for expanded insurance coverage, they argue that the competitive market dynamics benefitting those who can afford these medications should not overshadow the need for equitable healthcare access to those in genuine need.
