The State Health Plan in North Carolina is seeking public input on ways to reduce the cost of weight-loss drugs, as announced by State Treasurer Dale Folwell. As chair of the health plan’s board and a staunch advocate for affordability, Folwell hopes to find an affordable solution that can provide these necessary medications to members of the plan without breaking their budgets. Currently, approximately 740,000 state employees and their family members receive healthcare through this plan.
While only 23,000 members are currently taking weight-loss drugs, the high cost of these medications could double monthly premiums for many members if coverage were to continue. It was projected that spending on the two medications would exceed $170 million in 2024 and surpass $1 billion in the next six years. Folwell has specifically called out Novo Nordisk, which produces Wegovy and Saxenda, for charging exorbitant prices for these drugs.
Despite ongoing negotiations with Novo Nordisk, no progress has been made yet. Folwell is determined to secure fair treatment from drug manufacturers so that his plan can provide the necessary treatments to its members without being overcharged. When contacted for comment, representatives of Novo Nordisk did not respond immediately to requests.
Novo Nordisk had previously offered several negotiation options to state officials but ultimately rejected them. The company expressed surprise and disappointment at the State Health Plan’s decision to deny coverage for effective weight-loss treatments while characterizing it as irresponsible and unjust towards employees suffering from obesity.
