American Airlines’ flight attendant union is expressing frustration over an upcoming change to the company’s healthcare plan, as flagged by PYOK. I’m curious to see how this plays out.
Continue reading: American Airlines Cuts Ozempic From Flight Attendant Healthcare Coverage
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
American Airlines (and all airlines) should know better... they really should embrace GLP-1s... less weight on-board, more fuel efficient, perhaps, healthier crews, etc. (consult with your doctor.)
If your employer rather than your doctor decides what medication you get, the problem isn't the employer, the problem is your health care system. It's time for US to join the first world.
100%. Healthcare is a human right. The USA is the only developed nation to not have universal healthcare, or even a 'public option.' Bernie... 'was right about everything.'
While AA removed Ozenpic coverage for weight loss, there's no mention of approval of another drug for weight loss to replace Ozempic, like Mounjaro, Zepbound or Saxenda.
Trulicity (Lilly’s version) goes generic in 2027. And that will change everything.
"Healthcare is a human right."
100% wrong! If something requires the action/labor of another individual, then it can't possibly be a human right.
It's less "rationing", Brian W, than it is insisting that treatments are worth their cost. If a fancy new drug for metastatic cancer, for instance, improves survival by only a few months at a cost of $30K a month, no nationalised health system is going to subsidize that. The health budget is not bottomless.
Of course none of them cover it for weight loss purposes. But that doesn’t fit the narrative and requires a google search.
AA is trying to please the Orange Turd, who has been bashing Ozempic’s maker, Novo Nordisk, over cost.
That is common for most healthcare plans. My plan covers the M and O only for type 2 diabetes and if extreme obesity is the diagnosis. Nothing to see here, if you just want to drop 15 - 20 either pay for it yourself or diet and exercise.
Maybe they could walk up and down the aisle more then once a flight and provide an additional beverage or trash pick up service.
"President Trump has been highlighting how he plans to lower the cost of Ozempic to $150 per month..."
Would that be after infrastructure week?
so by your definition we also shouldn't have a right to a fair trial as that requires the labor of others, or right to education as it requires the labor of already underpaid teachers, or the right to public safety as that requires the labor of police officers, fire fighters, etc, Rights aren't these magical things that happen without effort, they are social contracts we have all greed to and that will cost money and someone's labor and effort, healthcare also belongs in that list of rights we have.
Oh noooo Trump is fighting drug makers to lower costs!!! STOPPPPP DONT LOWER COSTSSSSS!
For those arguing about government healthcare, no government run healthcare covers GLP1s for a weight loss diagnosis and that includes US Medicare (if you can find one please share).
Look at the research on these drugs, yes they are a bit of a miracle drug they help you lose weight fast but as soon as you come off of them you gain it back, they are a revolving door money pit. They are not medically necessary for weight loss, they are a fashion drug. If you want it pay for it yourself. AA is making the right call here.
@1990 did Ben and Gary and Greg the Frequent Miler all ask you to respond to every comment with your perspective?
Asking for a friend. Wink (who doesn't care what you think about every post)
Trulicity is not a GLP1. Lilly’s GLP1 equivalent fir weight loss is named Zepbound.
All these drugs loosen your bowels, often violently. Not good when you’re working on a plane.
They also make you feel shite and probably contribute to more sick days. No wonder AA won’t cover it.
Given that the airline is looking to count every ounce of unnecessary weight from flights, I'm surprised they wouldn't want to cut potentially dozens of pounds from each flight.
A few takeaways on this:
1. Ozempic is, while essentially the same, specifically for Type 2 Diabetes. Wegovy is the version for weight loss. If they are removing Ozempic specifically from the insurance plan that is affecting those with Diabetes for which the drug is, for sure, essential. So I guess while I can see perhaps taking Wegovy out of the plan (though it has amazing benefits for obesity and/or with high cholesterol and blood pressure) taking Ozempic off is not a good look.
2. It does not cost over $1000 anymore as the article states. It has not for months, especially since the changes to allowing of compounded versions. Wegovy is now around $450 per month if you get on a plan system with companies like RO. As well, it is expected to drop even more next year. In the EU, as an example, it can be purchased for around $200.
3. It is a miracle drug. In fact, obesity rates had a slight drop for the first time in the U.S. the past year. This is thought to be directly related to the GLP-1's and with more accessibility it could change the landscape of obesity here by remarkable percentages.
4. Daily tablet versions are expected to be FDA approved next year.
Airline health insurance costs are high in large part because the average age of airline employees tends to be high. People start their careers in the industry at a relatively young age, and they tend to hang around more so than in other industries. I recall back in the 90's the average age of an employee at one legacy carrier was 46. For an average, that's pretty high.
My employer, a medical school, did the same. We get free statins but only get GLP-1 inhibitors after we develop diabetes. $$$$ rule.
GLP-1s, ideally, should be covered for anyone who is overweight (not just obese) and has any kind of comorbidity (even if something like high blood pressure).
There is still a lot of misinformation about them - putting an overweight on obese person on GLP-1s, and simultaneously getting them in the gym on a strenuous cardio and weightlifting program, can help transform's people health (and physiques) within several months. Not just diabetes can get better, but blood pressure, general blood work, sleep, all kinds of issues people have. Insurance and the healthcare system should be going the other way and getting them into the hands of more people with minimal co-pay. I know a few people that are on them, just for weight loss, that pay $25 a month with insurance.
In terms of this particular post, American isn't alone in doing this, but I am guessing more insurance companies will get with the program and just start approving them for as many people as possible with a couple of years.
$100 pair of running shoes every 3 months is all you need. Served me well past 46 years. My weight and waist size has had little variance from graduation in 83.
I take Trulicity for type 2 diabetes and have never had this problem
Trulicity is. Glp 1 also.
Just saying
In the U.S., the monthly Ozempic price is around $936, more than five times higher than Japan's $169 list price. Other countries offer even more affordable options: $93 in the U.K., $87 in Australia, and only $83 in France
That’s nuts! Goes a long way to explaining our terrible service levels.
It’s crazy to me that we put up with the strikes and complaints when it’s one of the most desirable jobs for unskilled employees. Why shouldn’t they be treated like other workforces in the US ECONOMY
Ot would make sense for it to be included if the added weight requirements for FAs. It costs money/fuel to fly overweight FAs around all day.
Honestly I don’t know why they don’t have weight requirements. Would make everyone’s lives better
Sounds like you get duped by the sound bites rather than analyze the pattern of behavior. If Dump were consistent, he’d go after all of them. But he’s not. He hates Novo Nordisk (like Orsted) because it’s Danish. Big baby wants the Danes to give up Greenland and will use everything to squeeze them.
That's correct and by "definition" none of the things you menetioned are human rights, becasue they require the services/labor of another individual. It's refreshing that you were able to grasp my point.
You don’t have a right to education - we as a country have decided a universal basic education is valuable to society and therefor we agree to pay for it from public funds. Same for public safety; your have the right for your government to not abuse you, but you do not have the “right” to be protected by one person from the actions of another private individual. If we as a society decide we want to pay for that public safety service for everyone we can do that, but it’s not a basic human right.
Healthcare is not a basic human right. We can decide as a society that we value our population’s health enough to pay for it for everyone, but that is different than a basic human right.
Great. If people want senior employees gone, the companies need to offer meaningful buyouts. Pass travel and a few hundred dollars ain't it. Make sure there's enough zeros in the severance offer, and decent medical. Can almost guarantee there'd be a rush for the exits.
Some facts to consider:
Roughly 40% of US adults are obese, and would qualify for these drugs.
These GLP-1 drugs costs $12K per year.
These are life-long drugs. The research shows that if you stop taking them, the weight comes back for the majority of people
The average employee only stays with their employer for roughly 4 years.
Unless you are a tech company or bank with very high margins, I don't think many companies can easily absorb a $12K increase in annual costs for nearly half of its employees. You will see more companies do what American is doing.
It's for diabetes only however, not as a weight loss management drug. That version is expected next year.