- Optum Rx is upgrading the status of eight frequently used insulin products to preferred status on its standard formulary for commercially insured individuals.
- Consumers will have the lowest out-of-pocket costs for medications on the preferred tier one, which now includes all short- and rapid-acting insulins, along with the majority of highly prescribed long-acting insulins.
- Starting January 2024, 98% of Optum Rx customers will be able to purchase insulin for $35 or less per month.
- The weight-loss medication Wegovy has released results from a recent study in which it was found to reduce the likelihood of cardiac issues in patients by 20%.
- The company-funded study involved over 17,500 participants from 41 countries. The participants were 45 years or older with a body mass index of 27 or higher and were tracked for more than three years on average.
- According to the study, individuals who received the Wegovy shot experienced a lower risk of heart attack, stroke, or heart-related death, with only 6.5% experiencing these events compared to 8% in the group that received a placebo. Overall, there was a 20% reduction in the risk of these events with the use of Wegovy.
