GLP-1 Medication and FSA/HSA Benefits Coverage Guide

GLP-1 has become very popular as of late due to its successful use as a weight management treatment. You might recognize GLP-1 medications under the brand names: Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound. Though Ozempic is primarily a medication for blood sugar regulation, Wegovy and Zepbound have been approved as weight management drugs.

If you’re planning your weight management journey, you might be considering using GLP-1 medications to assist you with that weight management. And if that’s the case, you’re probably wondering what kind of insurance benefits or eligible medical expenses could cover treatment costs.

The goal of this article is to give you a better understanding of what kind of insurance coverage you can get for your weight management treatment and whether you are able to use a flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA) to cover the costs.

Pay for Weight Management Supplements with FSA/HSA Funds

Flexible spending and health savings accounts allow you to set pre-tax money aside (often pulled directly from your paycheck) to use when paying for healthcare expenses. With this money set aside, you have more funds available to help you pay for medical costs. This means that if your insurance does not cover something or doesn’t cover it fully, you already have money saved back to help cover those out-of-pocket costs.

But the question is, will your insurance provider help cover the cost of prescription weight management medications? The answer: It depends on your coverage and plan. There are a lot of factors that determine what gets covered and what you can use your HSA/FSA funds for, but generally, weight management programs and drugs do not qualify for HSA/FSA coverage if the primary purpose of the weight management is for the improvement of appearance. Let’s talk about how they can be eligible for coverage.

What May be Eligible for Reimbursement

GLP-1 weight management medications may be eligible for reimbursement if they are considered a medical necessity. This means that your healthcare providers would be required to provide a medical diagnosis, get authorization, and prescribe the medication for a medical condition (e.g., diabetes management, obesity, hypertension, or heart disease). These conditions are likely to qualify as medical expenses that can be reimbursed, tax-free, through an HSA or FSA account.

After you get approval to use your HSA/FSA for reimbursement of these weight management medications, the best step you can take is to anticipate your GLP-1 medication costs and review your coverage during open enrollment. From there, you can determine what your contribution levels might be so you can start building savings to manage these expenses.

Pre-approval for an Easier Process

To make this process easier, we have gone through the pre-approval process in order to provide GLP-1 without needing to wait for insurance coverage or to get reimbursement. 

This typically means that you don’t have to wait to get started on your weight management journey!

Moving Forward with FSA/HSA Approved Weight Management Success

At The Root Brands, our goal is to harness the power of nature so you can get back to living your best life. With all natural ingredients, our products and supplements are here to support your health journey. Whether that’s supporting brain function, boosting your immune system, building muscle, or losing weight, we’re here to provide you with the necessary foundation you need. Take back control of your health by bringing Root Brands into your wellness treatment plan.

Wanting to use GLP-1 medications for weight management, but worried about the insurance and approval process? We’re here to help you walk through HSA/FSA drug coverage so you can worry less about cost and more about health.