What We’re Reading: Wegovy Supply Limits Extended; Veterans Encounter PACT Act Claims Error; Missing Out on Preventive Services

Novo Nordisk Continues to Limit Supply of Weight-Loss Drug Wegovy

Novo Nordisk announced Thursday that it will continue to restrict starter doses of popular weight-loss drug Wegovy in the United States most likely into 2024 as it struggles to keep up with the soaring demand, according to Reuters. Wegovy is a weekly injection that, paired with diet and exercise changes, could help patients lose 15% of their weight. This announcement comes after the success of the company’s efforts in May to halve its supply of starter doses in the US market for several months to ensure the availability of supplies for existing patients. The limits on Wegovy may cause Novo Nordisk to lose out on market share to competitors working on similar weight-loss therapies. On the other hand, despite these supply limits, the company raised its full-year profit and sales forecast for a second time this year.

Veterans Shutout Before PACT Act Deadline

An “extremely high volume” of PACT Act claims overwhelmed the Department of Veteran Affairs website on Tuesday, preventing veterans and survivors from submitting claims and notices of intention to file claims as the deadline for backdated payments approached, according to Military.com. About 18% of veterans and survivors received error messages while trying to submit by Wednesday’s deadline to receive retroactive disability payments dated to when President Joe Biden signed the PACT Act into law on August 10, 2022. Veterans Affairs said that it is working to resolve the site issues and that, despite the system overload, it will honor the submissions affected. The PACT Act expanded health care and disability to those exposed to environmental pollution, like burn pits, while serving. Veterans who develop a related illness, or their survivors, can file a claim at any time, along with those already affected, to receive retroactive benefits back to August 10, 2022.

Patients Potentially Missing Out on Free Cancer Screenings, Vaccinations

A new report from consumer representatives to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners revealed that health insurers are failing to inform patients about free preventive services they are entitled to, according to Axios. HHS reported last year that this free coverage includes cancer screenings and vaccinations. These consumer representatives examined information from 6 plans in 6 states about coverage of smoking cessation, HIV prevention medication, colorectal cancer screening, and postpartum depression screening. They found that consumer documents often had missing or inconsistent information about preventive services coverage. The representatives recommended that state regulators review claims data more closely to ensure patients are not getting improperly billed and to interfere if that is the case.