In episode 15 of The Healthcare Hangover, David Contorno and Emma Fox dive into the topic of GLP-1 weight loss drugs, exploring their effectiveness, financial implications, and the debate surrounding their accessibility for weight loss.

Tune in as they navigate and share their insights through this issue.

TIMESTAMPS

[00:00:30] Introduction to GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs

[00:01:00] Weight Loss and Financial Perspective

[00:03:00] Personal Weight Loss Experiences

[00:05:00] Coverage and Accessibility

[00:06:30] Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs)

[00:09:00] Proposed 12-Month Program

[00:11:30] Additional Benefits of GLP-1 Drugs

[00:13:00] Employer's Perspective

[00:14:20] Pharmaceutical Industry Considerations

[00:16:30] Addiction Analogy

In this episode, David Contorno and Emma Fox focus on GLP-1 weight loss drugs, as they share their experiences with employers interested in covering these drugs under self-funded health plans. They explore the efficacy of these drugs, emphasizing that they are not a silver bullet and require complementary lifestyle changes for sustained results.

In addition, David and Emma share personal weight loss journeys and debate whether access to these drugs should be expanded to make weight loss more achievable for individuals struggling with obesity. They discuss the financial aspects, including the high costs and varying coverage percentages across health plans. They also address potential benefits beyond weight loss, such as reducing cravings for other addictive behaviors. Thus, expressing concerns about the affordability of these drugs and the pharmaceutical industry's motivations.

QUOTES

• "It's very long term. It's not a silver bullet. You still need to do other things that if not done means you have to be in the medicine forever." - David Contorno
• “And the one thing that's bothering me is people claiming that these drugs are new, which is, I mean, some of them are new, don't get me wrong, but the formula has been around for a long time. We've been using these drugs to treat diabetes.” - Emma Fox
• "If this was available to me and I could have afforded it back then, I don't know why we wouldn't make it easier when I see people say that overweight people shouldn't have access to GLP ones." - Emma Fox
• "If you're an anti-GLP-1 person, I'd really encourage you to look at it from a more human perspective as somebody who was very, very overweight my whole life." - Emma Fox
• "I think everybody is addicted to something. I have the luxury of being addicted to multiple things." - David Contorno

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

David Contorno

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dcontorno/

Emma Fox

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmamariefox/

WEBSITE

E-Powered Benefits: https://www.epoweredbenefits.com/

Emma Fox: https://emmamariefox.com/