Vol. 1 No. 6 (2021)
Reimbursement Recommendations

Semaglutide (Rybelsus)

Published June 24, 2021

Key Messages

  • Clinical evidence suggests that Rybelsus should be reimbursed to treat type 2 diabetes in adults if it is used in addition to metformin or other antihyperglycemic agents and does not cost more than glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors.
  • Rybelsus is more costly than most similar diabetes treatments.
  • Rybelsus is expected to increase budgets by more than $38 million over 3 years.
  • To account for the high treatment cost, the price of Rybelsus should be reduced.
  • If Rybelsus is not reimbursed as an add-on treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes, there are several other alternative treatments available for these patients.