Walgreens launched a new digital weight management offering on Thursday, which provides access to clinician-led support and GLP-1s.
The program is available to adults ages 18 to 64 who are overweight or have obesity and plan to self-pay for their GLP-1 medication. Patients complete a video visit with a doctor or nurse practitioner, who reviews their health history, goals and medical needs. The provider can prescribe GLP-1s, and patients can request follow-up visits via video or chat for any medication changes and side effect management. Providers are available from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. CT seven days a week.
“Walgreens launched Walgreens Weight Management to offer patients convenient and affordable access to care for a growing health need like weight loss,” a spokesperson told MedCity News. “It aligns with Walgreens’ mission to support patients by offering an end‑to‑end solution for a common need.”
Walgreens’ weight management program is available in 28 states.
Numerous other companies offer virtual weight management support, including Weight Watchers and Noom. Walgreens’ program differs in that it does not require a monthly subscription and instead charges $49 per clinician visit, according to the spokesperson, with medication costs billed separately. By comparison, Weight Watchers’ GLP-1 program involves a monthly membership fee — with plans often ranging up to about $149 per month — in addition to the cost of medication, while Noom’s GLP-1 program starts at around $129 per month, with pricing varying based on the plan.
In addition, Walgreens expanded its Rx Savings Finder tool to include Novo Nordisk’s newly reduced pricing for Wegovy. The updated tool now lists prices starting at $149 per month for the recently launched 1.5 mg and 4 mg tablets, and $199 per month for the 0.25 mg and 0.5 mg injectable formulations.
About one in eight adults report currently taking a GLP-1 to lose weight or treat a chronic condition, according to a survey from KFF. However, about half of GLP-1 users say it is difficult to afford these drugs.
Another survey from KFF found that less than one in four employers covered GLP-1s for weight loss. And due to the high cost of GLP-1s, some payers are dropping coverage of the drugs for weight loss, including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. Walgreens aims to provide a more affordable option to receive care for those who don’t have GLP-1 coverage, according to the announcement.
“Expanding our virtual healthcare platform to include weight management is part of our ongoing commitment to listening to patients and the services they want from their local pharmacy,” said Rick Gates, chief pharmacy officer of Walgreens, in a statement. “By combining trusted clinical expertise with the reach of our digital and pharmacy network, we’re helping eligible patients take meaningful steps toward better health, on their own terms.”
Photo: Peter Dazeley, Getty Images
