Almost one-half of Americans would spend $100 a month for weight loss drugs

Nearly one-half of Americans said they would be willing to spend up to $100 a month for new weight loss medicines such as semaglutide (Wegovy—Novo Nordisk), and one-third said they would indefinitely pay whatever they can afford to get the drugs, according to a new survey by STAT and Harris Poll.

Demand is so great for the drugs, known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, that nearly one-quarter said they would pay up to $250 each month, with another 17% expressing a willingness to spend as much as $500 each month.

However, 84% believe insurance companies should cover the injectable medicines, which carry list prices ranging from $900 to $1,300 a month. Fewer than 25% of employers cover the medications, according to a 2022 survey of more than 500 employers.

The findings arrive as the medications have become a controversial sensation thanks to studies showing they can help people lose significant weight without causing notable adverse effects.

Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed indicated they would pursue one of the medicines to help improve their physical health, while 51% cited their self-image as a reason to do so.