For stories on healthy living, subscribe to NPR's Health newsletter.Every time David Davis talks to a nurse at Vida Health, he thinks he'll finally get the OK for Zepbound.And every time so far he has been wrong."I thought, 'All right, I'll go through their hoops — I'll jump through their hoops,'" he says."The more they wanted, the more frustrated I would get."The 57-year-old power plant worker who lives near Santa Cruz, Calif., had already gotten a Zepbound prescription from his primary care doctor last December to treat the obstructive sleep apnea that was leaving him exhausted every morning.But before Davis could fill it, his company added a new requirement.
He'd have to get a new prescription through Vida Health.The benefits team called Vida "a cardiometabolic weight loss solution" and framed it as a perk.
"Like we would want it," Davis says.Telehealth companies such as Vida Health and its rivals offer lifestyle support so people taking drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound can have the most success on the drugs.But the companies often have another job: limiting obesity drug costs for employers.Davis was frustrated that he now had to work with Vida, but he did as he was told: He got new blood work, filled out health questionnaires and did video visits with a nurse.The Vida Health nurse said he was a good candidate for Zepbound but insisted he try two generic drugs first: naltrexone, a drug used to curb alcohol and opioid use, and bupropion, an antidepressant.
Neither drug is approved for obstructive sleep apnea.Davis was discouraged and called his insurer's patient advocate."What's the deal with this?" he recalls saying.
"And the patient advocate said, 'I've never heard of that, but that's not a rule.'"Davis eventually gave up and decided instead to pay out-of-pocket for a cheaper, compounded version of the drug made by an online pharmacy.Vida Health didn't answer questions about Davis' care, despite his willingness to waive patient privacy.It also didn't answe...