Key Issues in Health: Ozempic, Medical Debt Relief, and Mental Health Care

Smoking Cessation, Debt Relief in North Carolina, and Barriers to Mental Health Care

This week’s highlights cover the challenges faced by patients with diabetes using Ozempic, North Carolina’s innovative medical debt relief plan, and the high costs preventing access to mental health care.

Ozempic Users Less Likely to Receive Smoking Cessation Support

Patients with type 2 diabetes who use semaglutide (Ozempic) are less likely to receive smoking cessation interventions compared to those on other diabetes medications. According to a Reuters report, Ozempic users are up to 32% less likely to discuss tobacco use with their healthcare providers and up to 68% less likely to be prescribed smoking cessation medications. These findings are based on electronic health records from nearly 229,000 patients and indicate a need for clinical trials to explore semaglutide’s potential role in smoking cessation.

North Carolina’s Medical Debt Relief Plan Gets Federal Approval

Federal Medicaid regulators have approved a groundbreaking plan by North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper to offer financial incentives to hospitals for eliminating medical debt for low- and middle-income patients. Announced by Cooper’s office and supported by Vice President Kamala Harris, this initiative aims to relieve $4 billion in debt for up to 2 million residents. State Health and Human Services Secretary Kody Kinsley emphasized that this program is designed to support both the health of North Carolinians and the financial stability of hospitals.

Cost Barriers Prevent Mental Health Care for Many Americans

A survey by Mental Health America found that nearly 1 in 4 US adults with frequent mental distress avoid seeing a doctor because of the cost. Axios reports that this avoidance is often linked to insurance status and medical debt, creating a significant treatment gap. In states like Georgia, Alabama, and Texas, where mental health worker availability is limited, over 30% of adults with frequent mental distress reported being unable to afford medical care.

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