In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha highlights that 51% of U.S. adults—about 125 million people—are overweight or obese with one or more chronic conditions. He reviews a new study examining the lifetime health effects and cost-effectiveness of GLP-1 drugs tirzepatide (Zepbound) and semaglutide (Ozempic). Dr. Andy Ryan, Professor of Health Services, Policy, and Practice, joins to discuss how to meaningfully reduce U.S. healthcare spending, emphasizing the need for a national strategy that aligns coverage and pricing with value and ensures that Americans get the greatest health benefit for the dollars spent.

Dr. Jha discusses:

• Lifetime Health Effects and Cost-Effectiveness of Tirzepatide and Semaglutide in US Adults — JAMA Health Forum

About the Guest

Dr. Andrew Ryan is a professor in the Department of Health Services, Policy, and Practice at Brown University and Director of the Center for Advancing Health Policy through Research. His research focuses on understanding and evaluating the effects of health care payment reform.

About the Host

Dr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.

Music by Katherine Beggs, additional music by Lulu West and Maya Polsky