A cost comparison of GLP-1 receptor agonists and bariatric surgery: what is the break even point?

With the prevalence of obesity rising in the US, medical management is of increasing importance. Two popular options for the treatment of obesity are bariatric surgery (e.g. sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass) and the increasingly popular GLP-1 Receptor Agonists (GLP-1 s). This study examines the initial and long-term costs of GLP-1 s compared to bariatric surgery.

We compared average 2023 national retail prices for GLP-1 s to surgical cost estimates from 2015 adjusted for inflation. We then plotted the cumulative medication cost over time against the flat cost of each surgery, thus calculating "break-even points" (when medication costs equal surgery costs). The findings revealed a crucial insight, for some GLP-1 s like Saxenda and Wegovy, the high cost of ongoing use surpasses the cost of RYGB in less than a year and sleeve gastrectomy within nine months. Even the most affordable option, Byetta, becomes costlier than surgery after around 1.5 years.

This highlights the importance of looking beyond the initial financial investment when considering cost-effectiveness. Additionally, while not directly assessed, this study acknowledges that GLP-1 s take time to reach full effectiveness, potentially delaying weight loss while accumulating costs. Concerns also exist about weight regain after discontinuing the medication.

This study is limited by the real-world variation for individual treatment costs (e.g. insurance), a limited evaluation of long-term costs associated with either treatment modality and their co-morbidities, and the reality of patient preference providing subjective value to either modality. Overall, the study offers insights into the financial trade-offs between GLP-1 s and bariatric surgery.