France covers the costs of weight loss injections – these are the rules

In Germany’s neighboring country

Health insurance companies are paying for weight loss injections for the first time

Weight loss injections are as popular as they are controversial and are generally not covered by health insurance companies. A first EU country now wants to change that.

The preparations have been available with a prescription in France since the end of 2024. So far they have to pay out of their own pockets. This costs around 300 euros per month. They are only approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity and may not be used for weight loss for aesthetic reasons. In France, around 18 percent of adults are obese.

Wegovy is manufactured by the Danish company Novo Nordisk, Mounjaro is the product of the US company Eli Lilly. Novo Nordisk and Lilly France were fined two million euros in France in early May for disseminating an alleged obesity information campaign that was in fact a form of advertising. However, this is prohibited for prescription drugs, the health authority explained.

The active ingredients, which are injected weekly, signal the body that it is full and lower blood sugar levels. In many patients, the weight increases again after stopping the medication.

In Germany, the costs are not reimbursed by statutory health insurance companies. In this country, weight loss injections are considered so-called lifestyle medicines. Medications whose use is intended to improve quality of life are excluded from statutory health insurance coverage. The so-called lifestyle medicines include, among other things, appetite suppressants, weight loss medications and medications to improve hair growth.

However, in recent years there have been repeated calls from politicians to no longer view weight loss injections as lifestyle medications and to include them in the health insurance companies’ catalog of benefits. In return, the health insurance companies reported costs in the tens of billions.

Most lawsuits for reimbursement of costs also fail in court. “Health insurance companies do not have to provide everything that is available for health,” said the Lower Saxony State Social Court in May when it dismissed the lawsuit filed by a young woman who was very overweight.