The demand for popular weight loss drugs for teens has skyrocketed since the FDA approved their use for those 12 years or older.
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But families are learning these drugs come with a hefty price tag.
Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Ashli Lincoln spoke with families who say when their insurance says no to covering the cost, they rely on credit cards and even taking out loans to pay for it.
“It’s around $700 a month for each of us,” said Tori Kaplan who takes a GLP-1 weight loss drug along with her 15-year-old daughter.
“I did have to pay $1,400 out of my pocket,” said Suzie Jimenez who also uses GLP-1s along with her 16-year-old son.
RELATED: ‘Game changer’: Teens using GLP-1 drugs losing weight, but long-term effects unknown
It’s a hefty price tag thousands of families are willing to pay for their teens to live healthier lives.
“If you don’t have health, you don’t have anything. And that’s where we’re choosing to invest our money into is that,” said Jimenez.
Lincoln spoke with parents about how they’re paying for this weight loss medication.
“When we started with the Ozempic, we were paying about, the co-pay was like $50 every month,” said Marthe Jones, whose 15-year-old daughter takes a GLP-1.
And it still is, but that’s not the case for Tori Kaplan.
She is paying $1,400 a month for Wegovy for both her and her daughter.
Tori Kaplan lost more than 100 pounds.
“One of my biggest hopes about this medication and broader society is that it becomes easier for more people to afford it,” said Kaplan.
“The most common question is one of accessibility,” said Dr. Jessica Riley, who is the Medical Director of the Strong for Life Clinic at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and an assistant professor in the Emory School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics.
Dr. Riley said she sees firsthand the lengths families take to pay for these expensive medications.
“Because these medications tend to be quite costly, even various insurers are constantly reevaluating their formularies and their coverage,” said Dr. Riley.
“It is not currently covered by our insurance, and that was also a significant choice that we made,” said Kaplan.
“He was 306. I think he’s down to 267 now,” said Elisabeth Geyen whose 14-year-old son takes a GLP-1.
She said her insurance initially offset the cost of Wegovy.
“Under insurance I was paying like 20 some dollars a month,” said Geyen.
But when her insurance abruptly stopped covering the medication, she resorted to paying $1,300 on her credit card.
Unable to keep up with the expense, she placed her son on a compounded formula and pays $300 a month.
“I put it on my credit card every month,” said Geyen.
“I’ve had patients and families who have gone to great lengths, even changing their insurance coverage to be able to access these medications. It’s expensive too when you get off of it,” said Dr. Riley.
Channel 2 Consumer Advisor Clark Howard said families whose income qualifies should look for drug discounts that are provided directly from the manufacturer.
“Pharmaceutical companies for people of low income or in certain special circumstances either have a direct buy discount program or they have discount card program to fill the prescription for little or nothing,” said Howard.
While doctors say these weight loss medications are likely lifelong drugs for teens, Howard says parents should consider jobs with good prescription benefits.
“That’s what you’re looking for is a job where you will have access to the lifesaving meds that a family member needs by seeking out that kind of employment,” said Howard.
“Our dream is that the medication becomes accessible to all who need it before there’s a diagnosis of a disease,” said Kaplan.
As Howard said, buying directly from the manufacturer could save you money.
The drug trizepatide that is marketed as Zepbound also is available directly from the manufacturer, but that drug has FDA approve for teens 18 years and up.
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