Tips for Confident Cost Conversations With Weight Loss Patients 

A patient’s weight and financial situation may be personal, but that doesn’t mean healthcare providers should avoid these important topics. After all, effective weight loss interventions may help reduce the likelihood of associated health problems such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.¹ And providers who prioritize cost transparency and proactively offer financing plans may help patients move forward with recommended weight loss treatment.

Keep reading to learn how cost can create barriers to weight loss treatment, and how providers can address these concerns through transparent cost conversations and patient financing options.

Understanding Concerns of GLP-1 Weight Loss Treatment

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medications like Wegovy® (semaglutide) and Zepbound® (tirzepatide) can be an effective treatment for weight loss, helping people reduce the chance of weight-related complications and improve their overall health.²

However, patients may face issues with these medications, such as:²

• Weight-related stigma and bias
• Absence of generic versions for the most effective GLP-1s
• Availability issues due to medication shortages
• Lack of coverage by many insurance plans
• Cost of up to $1,049/month (based on average pricing* of one-month supply of 15 mg Zepbound)³

Patients who do have insurance coverage for GLP-1s may be overwhelmed by complex prior authorization procedures and high out-of-pocket costs.² And those with high coinsurance and copays may be less likely to fill prescriptions for GLP-1s as directed.² Or, patients may start taking these medications but discontinue them due to high ongoing costs.⁴

That’s why it can be important to address such hurdles and offer support to help boost adherence to weight loss treatment and improve patient outcomes.

Understanding Potential Issues of Weight Loss Surgery

Bariatric surgery can be a safe and effective intervention for weight loss management when other methods have been unsuccessful. However, stigmatizing language, logistical challenges and financial constraints can all present obstacles to care.⁵

Weight loss surgery candidates may also be frustrated by the length and complexity of the insurance approval process and a lack of transparency in insurance coverage.⁶ After all, coverage for weight loss surgery may vary widely by insurance plan, and some plans don’t cover it at all.

Plus, costs can be high. Consider the average cost* of some popular weight loss surgeries:³

• Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch: $26,071
• Gastric bypass: $19,511
• Gastric sleeve: $19,459
• Lap-Band®: $14,506

These costs may discourage patients from undergoing surgery. And when recommended weight loss surgery is delayed or denied, the result can be continued obesity and even death from obesity-related conditions.⁶

But understanding barriers to bariatric surgery has the potential to improve patient outcomes, as support from healthcare providers can play a key role in motivating patients to move forward with weight loss treatment.⁵

Preparing for Cost Conversations: Setting the Stage for Success

To help overcome barriers to care, take an empathetic, patient-centered approach to discussing weight loss treatment and its associated costs. Consider these strategies to help you prepare for cost conversations.

Normalize cost communication

The cost of care can be a significant part of the decision-making process for weight loss treatment, so prepare to talk about these issues up front. By making cost considerations a standard component of treatment discussions, you can raise your own comfort level and fluency in financial topics — which may in turn put patients at ease.⁷

Anticipate common patient concerns

Many weight loss patients are unsure what their insurance covers, but your practice can help provide clarity. Prior to appointments, ensure that a member of your team determines patients’ coverage requirements and estimated out-of-pocket costs for treatment. Securing this information in advance can help equip you to answer common financial questions during the consultation.

Build time into the workflow

Patients often appreciate it when providers take time to discuss financial concerns.⁷ But cost conversations can take time, so plan your schedule accordingly. By building time into your consultations for these discussions, you can prepare to give patients the information and assurance they may need to proceed with weight loss treatment.

Tips for Confident Cost Conversations

Once you’ve laid the pre-appointment groundwork, it’s time to talk with weight loss patients face to face. Try these tips for confident financial discussions.

Prioritize cost transparency

In recent surveys of patients who withdrew from bariatric surgery, respondents listed “more transparent patient financial responsibility” as a way to make surgery more accessible.⁶ That’s why it’s critical to provide patients with clear cost and insurance coverage information, as well as ways to help them pay for treatment. By clearly explaining patient financial responsibility and payment options, you can help boost healthcare cost transparency, build trust and improve the patient financial experience.⁸

Solicit input

To frame the discussion, try using a phrase like, “I’d like to discuss any concerns you may have about the cost of weight loss treatment.” This type of open-ended invitation can provide clarity on the type of support patients may need to move forward with care. It can also help patients feel that you’re sensitive to their needs, fostering the type of trusting patient-provider relationship that’s key to successful weight loss management.⁵

Offer reassurance

Some patients simply find it difficult to discuss financial issues. In that case, you can assure them that the cost of care is an important topic for many patients, and they are not alone in having questions and concerns. Be sure to remind them that any financial concerns they raise will not affect the quality of the weight loss treatment you provide.

Make it a team effort

Many patients with chronic conditions want to have compassionate cost conversations with their providers.⁹ But the responsibility for these discussions needn’t rest on physicians alone. When possible, involve other members of your care team in cost conversations, especially those who may be more aware of a patient’s circumstances.

Use supportive language

Let patients know that financial concerns are common, and you understand that the cost of weight loss treatment can be high. Present yourself as a partner in the process — one who will work to provide the best care and provide options that may help them manage the cost. You can say something like: “I’d like to help you find the best financing option.”

Leveraging Financing Solutions to Improve Outcomes

If patients can’t use insurance for weight loss treatment, or their coverage is limited, the cost of care may be a concern. But patient financing can help. With financing for weight loss surgery, GLP-1 therapy or other treatment, patients may be able to pay for care over time. This can help ease their financial burden and make them more likely to follow through with recommended care.

Here’s a quick overview of patient payment solutions you might offer for weight loss treatment:

• Recurring payment plans. Patients make fixed payments to your practice at regular intervals. These plans don’t necessarily have a specific end date, which may be useful for ongoing treatment.
  • Example: Your office may collect patient payments through recurring billing methods like automatic withdrawals from the patient’s bank account.
• Third-party financing. A financing company partners with you to offer patient financing solutions, such as a loan or credit card.
  • Example: The CareCredit credit card allows cardholders to split the cost of their care into convenient monthly payments, and your office receives payment within two days of the transaction.**
• Revolving credit. Patients may borrow money up to a certain limit, pay off the balance and then borrow up to that amount again. This can make it easy for patients to return to your practice for continued care.
  • Example: The CareCredit credit card is a revolving line of credit that allows patients to apply once and, if approved, use CareCredit again and again.**

While cost can be a concern, patient payment plans may help make weight loss treatment more accessible.⁶

Building Trust Through Transparent Cost Conversations

Weight loss and finances can be sensitive issues for some patients, but it’s possible to approach these key topics with confidence and compassion. By taking steps to normalize cost communication, anticipate patient concerns and prioritize cost transparency, providers can help support patient access to recommended weight loss treatment like GLP-1 therapy and surgery.

A Patient Financing Solution for Health and Wellness Providers

If you are looking for a way to connect your patients with flexible financing that empowers them to pay for the care they want and need, consider offering CareCredit as a patient financing solution. CareCredit allows cardholders to pay for out-of-pocket health and wellness expenses over time while helping enhance the payments process for your practice or business.

When you accept CareCredit, patients can see if they prequalify with no impact to their credit score, and those who apply, if approved, can take advantage of special financing on qualifying purchases.** Additionally, your practice or business will be paid directly within two business days.

Learn more about the CareCredit credit card as a patient financing solution or start the provider enrollment process by filling out this form.

Author Bio

Robyn Tellefsen is a freelance writer and editor with more than 20 years of experience covering health and wellness, finance and more. Her work has appeared on sites such as LoopNet, Beachside Rehab, First Horizon Bank, SoFi, A Place for Mom, American Express, Chase and more.

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