Slimmer Wallets, Healthier Bodies: How Weight Loss Drugs Could Save Us Money

Did you know that shedding a few pounds might also lighten your healthcare bills? Researchers found that people who lost just 5% of their body weight spent less on healthcare. This is big news for new weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. These meds can help people lose weight, which could mean big savings for both private insurance and Medicare. Obesity isn't always unhealthy, but it can lead to issues like knee pain and type 2 diabetes. These problems cost a lot of money. In the U. S. , obesity-related healthcare costs were around $260 billion in 2016. The new study shows that even a little weight loss can cut these costs. The researchers looked at data from a nationwide survey. They found that people with private insurance who lost weight spent less on healthcare. The savings were even bigger for those with Medicare. This is because Medicare patients have higher healthcare costs to begin with. The study didn't look at the newer weight loss drugs, but it's likely they could save even more money. These drugs help people lose a lot of weight. They're not cheap, but they might save money in the long run. Also, they could prevent people from getting obesity-related problems in the first place. This means even more savings. But it's not just about money. These drugs could also save lives. A study found that more people using these drugs could prevent 42, 000 deaths in the U. S. each year.