how much people are willing to spend | Wilnesh News

Despite limited insurance coverage and a monthly price of about $1,000 before discounts, demand for diet pills is booming in the United States.

But some patients are willing to pay out of pocket for these treatments more than others—a desire that correlates closely with their annual income.

This is according to a recent survey Yongke ISI Focus on GLP-1, a new class of drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. Between January 24 and February 20, the company surveyed more than 600 participants who were currently taking GLP-1, were considering the therapy, or had taken it in the past but no longer took it.

The findings about how much patients are willing to spend highlight concerns about equity in access to breakthrough medicines with little insurance coverage.

GLP-1 includes Novo NordiskThe blockbuster weight loss injection Wegovy and the diabetes drug Ozempic, as well as Eli Lilly and CompanyPopular weight loss treatment Zepbound and diabetes injection Mounjaro.

Monthly plans for GLP-1 range from $900 to $1,350, not including insurance and other rebates.Both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have savings plan Designed to reduce out-of-pocket costs for weight loss medications, regardless of whether patients have commercial insurance.

A majority (nearly 60%) of those surveyed who made more than $250,000 a year said the maximum they were willing to pay out of pocket for GLP-1 was more than $300 per month.

Only about 4% of those making less than $75,000 a year said the same. Of that group, 64% said the most they were willing to pay out-of-pocket for GLP-1 was $50 per month or less.

The survey shows that the largest number of people currently receiving GLP-1 treatment say that the monthly out-of-pocket cost they are willing to pay is roughly consistent with what they actually pay for treatment. The maximum price respondents were willing to accept was lower among those who had taken GLP-1 or were considering taking the drug.

More than half of people currently taking GLP-1 say they pay $50 or less out of pocket each month. Nearly 75% of people who had ever taken one of these drugs said they spent the same amount.

A small number of people in both groups spend more than $750 a month out of pocket on GLP-1.

The survey also asked respondents how long they had been taking the medication.

Of note, more than 80% of patients who were ever treated were treated for 12 months or less. Some people stop treatment because of the cost, while others stop treatment because they meet their weight loss goals or experience side effects.

Some patients stopping treatment prematurely is one of the concerns some insurance companies are hesitant to cover.

Still, nearly half of those currently taking GLP-1 said they planned to continue taking the drugs permanently. Of those considering treatment, only 10% said the same thing. Of this group, more than 70% said they planned to continue taking GLP-1 until they reached their weight loss goals.

The survey also asked participants whether they would restart taking GLP-1 if they regained weight after stopping the drug. The majority of patients in all groups—those currently taking a GLP-1, those considering taking a GLP-1, or those who had ever taken a GLP-1—said “yes.”

Among people who had ever taken GLP-1, 42% said they gained “some” weight after stopping treatment. About 13% said they got most of it back, while 23% said they got all of it back. Another 23% said their weight remained at a low level after stopping the drug.

The weight regain is consistent with results observed in some clinical trials of drugs such as Wegovy and Zepbound.

Another part of the survey asked participants whether taking GLP-1 would affect their eating habits.

More than 70% of respondents reported eating less after taking GLP-1, regardless of whether they had a pre-existing condition. This refers to other health problems such as diabetes, asthma, or high blood pressure.

The findings are not surprising: GLP-1 suppresses appetite and regulates blood sugar in humans by mimicking hormones produced in the gut. Some treatments, such as Zepbound, mimic more than one gut hormone.

More than half of the people with no pre-existing medical conditions said they drank less after taking GLP-1. About 27% said treatment had no impact on their drinking, while 22% said they stopped drinking.

A larger proportion (51%) of people with pre-existing conditions said they abstained from alcohol. The rest said they drank less alcohol after taking GLP-1.

Some study Certain GLP-1s have been shown to inhibit alcohol intake in rodents and monkeys. But more research in humans is needed.

—CNBC’s Gabriel Cortés contributed to this report