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France to Reimburse Patients for Weight-Loss Drugs Starting Mid-June
French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist announced that France will begin reimbursing severely obese patients for two weight-loss medications from mid-June. The plan covers 65 percent of costs, with full coverage for most patients who have additional health conditions.
May 29, 5:00 AM·1m read1 source
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France will begin reimbursing severely obese patients for weight-loss drugs starting in mid-June, French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist said on May 28. The government will subsidize Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Mounjaro. Reimbursement will cover 65 percent of the cost, though almost all eligible patients will receive full coverage if they have comorbidities such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
Rist said the criteria will remain strict.
Coverage applies to people with a body mass index above 35 who also have comorbidities, or above 40. These patients may be candidates for surgery, and doctors can prescribe the medicines when appropriate. Rist estimated the annual cost to public finances at around 100 million euros, or about 116 million dollars.
Switzerland subsidize similar medications outside the European Union. Switzerland provides reimbursement for Wegovy under its mandatory health insurance scheme for people who meet certain criteria. Japan operates a comparable program, while Canada approved generic versions of semaglutide last month.
In the United States, President Donald Trump said on May 1 that Medicare patients will be able to obtain coverage for weight-loss drugs for 50 dollars per month beginning in July.
