A recent Oregonian/OregonLive article highlights an important step toward improving access to safe, effective GLP-1 medications, (“ Ozempic and Wegovy will be sold for half price at Costco, ” Oct. 8).

As an expert in obesity medicine, I have seen firsthand how transformative these treatments can be for patients struggling with obesity and related chronic diseases.But far too many people still face overwhelming barriers to affordable access, which is why any decrease in cost is big news. Because Medicare and Medicaid do not cover GLP-1 medications for weight management, and because most private insurers impose strict exclusions, patients are often forced to pay out of pocket, with costs that have reached more than $1,000 per month.

This lack of coverage has pushed patients toward unsafe

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