I Wanna New Drug – Underwriting Weight Loss
Huey Lewis had a hit in the early 80’s with the song “I Wanna New Drug”, and while a lot of new drugs have hit the market since then, the current injectables for the treatment of diabetes are creating a market frenzy over their “side effect” – dramatic weight loss.
Ozempic, Rybelsus, Trulicity and Mounjaro are FDA approved for the treatment of Type II Diabetes. However, the recent FDA approval of Wegovy as a “labeled use” for weight loss is a game changer. I have specifically noted this approval because Wegovy and now Mounjaro can be prescribed for weight loss treatment as a legal use of the prescription drug. The other medications previously mentioned are approved for treatment of type II diabetes but are not to be prescribed specifically for weight loss, although the chemical formulas can be identical while the dosages differ. Up until the Wegovy approval, physicians and clients were utilizing these other medications for treating diabetes, and weight loss was occurring as a side effect of their diabetes treatment. The weight loss was dramatic, and people took notice. Suddenly, non-diabetic people who wanted to lose weight were asking their physicians for Ozempic. The supply chain became disrupted and newsworthy and created even more demand for the drug. The approval of some of these drugs specifically for weight loss has been a game changer for both physician prescription writers and the patient who wants the weight loss assistance.
Underwriting life insurance protection on clients who are currently taking these medications has revealed some remarkable results. Notable weight LOSS is showing up in medical records on previously overweight clients. Fewer people are undergoing gastric bypass procedures as these new drugs are working very well to reduce weight. In underwriting, AgencyONE has to be realistic since carriers generally only allow 50% of the total weight loss in the past 12 months. For example, a 40-pound weight loss might drop a client into a PREFERRED class on an underwriting grid, but the underwriting manual will only credit half of that loss in the past 12 months. Statistics to date show that most people, prior to the use of these new medications, will gain half their weight loss back. These new medications may change that perspective but not right away, as they are so new they have no track record yet.
We know these medications work for weight loss by changing body biochemistry and metabolism. However, we don’t know if there will be any long-term side effects associated with taking them. Everyone needs time to truly evaluate these medications. Negative side effects have been noted on the thyroid and in the gastrointestinal tract, but these seem to be minimal.
Even in their brief period of existence, preliminary studies have shown other positive side effects which include a dramatic reduction in both fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events associated with Type II diabetics. Studies are also occurring in the neurological areas of Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Chronic Pain Cases. Wider use of these “new drugs” will result in more studies, and those results will help to provide a clearer picture of the conditions of these drugs will address and the potential side-effects of their long-term use.
Huey Lewis should be very happy.
Consider the following case studies:
Case Study #1: Doctor’s Office Visit – February 2023
Male, Age 47
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 295 lbs.
Prescribed Wegovy
- 30-Day Follow Up – Weight 290 lbs – Loss 5 lbs.
- 60-Day Follow Up – Weight 275 lbs. – Loss 20 lbs.
- September 2023 office – Weight 260 lbs. – Total Loss 35 lbs.
The LOSS of 35 lbs. in 8 months is impressive and the client is a much better risk.
Case Study #2: Doctor’s Office Visit – October 2022
Male, Age 54
Height: 5’4”
Weight: 223 lbs.
Prescribed Mounjaro
- 30-Day Follow Up – Weight 219 lbs. – Loss 4 lbs.
- 60-Day Follow Up – Weight 213 lbs. – Loss 10 lbs.
- 90-Day Follow Up – Weight 192 lbs. – Loss 31 lbs.
- June 2023 Office Visit – Weight 182 lbs. – Total Loss 41 lbs.
The loss of 41 lbs. in 8 months is impressive and the client presents as a much better risk on every underwriting chart.
Case Study #3: Doctor’s Office Visit – February 2022
Male, Age 47
Height: 5’6”
Weight: 239 lbs.
Prescribed Mounjaro
- 30-Day Follow Up – Weight 232 lbs. – Loss 7 lbs.
- 60-Day Follow Up – Weight 223 lbs. – Loss 16 lbs.
- August 2023 Office Visit – Weight 200 lbs. – Loss 39 lbs.
- October 2023 Office Visit – Weight 194 lbs. – Total Loss 45 lbs.
The loss of 45 lbs. in 8 months is impressive, but with this individual, his diabetic status changed dramatically from an A1C of 6.7 to just 4.8!
These dramatic changes in weight and body metabolism are the result of this new family of medications along with diet, exercise, and client commitment. The media notes the shortage of these prescriptions in the marketplace, and it is little wonder. While the jury is still out on long-term complications, the short-term benefits are spectacular – WOW!
Please contact the AgencyONE Underwriting Department at 301.803.7500 for more information or to discuss a case.
