#1 U.S. Pharmacy Plan Will Cover Obesity Treatment

Another insurer jumped on the obesity coverage bandwagon, which means more good news for people seeking treatment options. Vivus announced its drug, Qsymia, will now be covered by ExpressScripts, the largest U.S. pharmacy benefits manager.

Express Scripts will carry Qsymia in its national formulary as a standard option, meaning patients who go through ExpressScripts as part of their coverage will now pay a $50-$60 per month co-pay, about one-third of the retail price. ExpressScripts joins Aetna, which last month said it would cover both Qsymia and Arena Pharmaceutical’s Belviq, the other obesity drug approved by the FDA in 2012.

Obviously, a $60 monthly co-pay is no bargain, and when you compare it to a typical co-pay of $10, it’s clear we have more work to do on treating obesity like the chronic disease that it is. But it’s infinite progress from zero coverage.

Click here to read the Chicago Tribune story.