Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs, 9amHealth Collaborate to Make Obesity Medications Affordable
The program will include branded obesity glucagon-like peptide-1 medications, which will have a transparent monthly cost.
Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company announced a collaboration with 9amHealth that aims to make obesity medication more affordable and accessible to employers nationwide.1
The program will include branded obesity glucagon-like peptide-1 medications, which will have a transparent monthly cost. | Image Credit: Cagkan - stock.adobe.com
"We are thrilled to collaborate with 9amHealth in our mission to make prescription drugs more affordable for consumers," Alex Oshmyansky, CEO of Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, said in a news release.1 "At Cost Plus Drugs, our commitment to transparent drug pricing has always been unwavering, and with clinical leaders in obesity like 9amHealth, we are dedicated to providing affordable and accessible healthcare solutions for patients with cardiometabolic conditions."
Obesity has risen considerably over the past 3 years, according to data from the Pew Research Center. Approximately 31% of people in the United States were overweight and 42% were obese in 2017 to 2018, compared with 34% and 30.5% in 1999 to 2000, respectively.2
In a pool from the KFF Health Tracking Poll, about 1 in 8 US adults have ever taken a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, including 6% who are currently taking one of the drugs. Further, 1% of adults aged 65 years and older who had taken a GLP-1 drug said they did so to lose weight. This rises to 43% who used the drug for diabetes, 26% for weight disease, and 22% for patients with overweight or obesity.
KFF states that it could reflect Medicare’s lack of coverage for prescription drugs for weight loss, as approximately 37% of patients aged 65 years and older reported being told that they were overweight or obese in the past 5 years.3
In the collaboration, 9amHealth will leverage low-cost oral medications from Cost Plus Drugs as a way to treat obesity. The program will include branded obesity GLP-1 medications, which will have a transparent monthly cost. The companies are expected to offer complete, cost-efficient solutions to employers seeking to expand coverage for weight management and chronic co-conditions, such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension.1
As part of the program, virtual medical care will be available, and employers will have access to first-generation medication for obesity at transparent discounted prices. According to the news release, employers and pharmacy benefit managers can now address obesity as part of a cardiometabolic strategy, especially at a time when obesity coverage is becoming more prominent and a key priority for employers.1
"Our collaboration with Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs gives employers a way to provide expert medical management of obesity without the massive price tag," Paul Geevarghese, COO and co-founder of 9amHealth, said in the news release.1 "We're not only lowering the cost of medications, we're also connecting members to real, human care: specialists in obesity and diabetes, clinical pharmacists, and ongoing nutritional support with registered dietitians—all from the comfort of home."
READ MORE: Obesity Management Resource Center
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