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No means no, right? Well when it comes to health insurance, you might be able to turn a no into a yes with persistence, paperwork, and some help from your doctor. But it’s not easy.
Lack of coverage is a challenge for people who want help to lose weight with costly GLP-1 drugs. From 2025 to 2026, 12 million people were on plans that dropped coverage for Zepbound and 12 million had plans that dropped Wegovy, according to research by GoodRx. For our Healthcare Helpline series, NPR’s Sydney Lupkin has a story of a woman who’s fighting to get her GLP-1 coverage back, and advice from pros if you find yourself in a similar position.
Like many, Deborah Finley, 50, of Lodi, Calif. had a hard time losing weight, and she was suffering from conditions including fatty liver disease and sleep apnea. Diet and exercise weren’t bringing her weight down, so Finley’s doctor recommended Zepbound, a GLP-1 drug for obesity, which was covered by her insurance.
Finley says the drug helped. Her sleep apnea improved and she lost weight. Then at the end of the year her insurance plan stopped covering Zepbound.
Finley took a deep dive into her insurance paperwork. She learned that the insurer would still cover Zepbound for sleep apnea but only if she got a prior authorization from her doctor.
When Finley’s doctor’s prior authorization request was denied, she moved on to the next step – writing an appeal, with some help from Chat GPT. She’s still waiting for a hearing.
Sometimes you may have to file multiple appeals if the first one is unsuccessful, says Tracy Zvenyach, with the nonprofit Obesity Action Coalition. Zvenyach also recommends keeping meticulous records. Keep records of any other treatments you tried for your condition. If the prescription you’re seeking is weight related, “document dates of participation in any nutrition and physical activity program or membership,” Zvenyach says.
Find out more here, including alternatives to insurance for getting GLP-1 drugs and other pharmaceutical options.
Plus: How to make a high-deductible health plan and HSA work for you |
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“Explosive power” sounds like something the Road Runner would use to fend off Wile E. Coyote. But it’s actually natural to the body – the ability to rapidly generate a lot of force (no dynamite required). Explosive power helps you safely do many everyday tasks, like walking up and down the stairs, standing up from a chair, or catching yourself when you trip. It’s essential for performance in many sports.
And like other physical skills, it’s something you can train for.
Learning to harness explosive power is increasingly important to prevent injury after age 40, when muscle mass starts to decline. NPR’s Life Kit asked exercise physiology researcher Jessica Scott to recommend some explosive fitness exercises for when you’re just getting started, or want to take it to the next level. Here are a few of them:
Lower-intensity movements:
Sit-to-stand
Grab a chair, bench or other sturdy platform and have a seat. Your feet should be hip-width apart. Keeping your abs tight, stand up quickly from the chair. Then slowly lower yourself back down.
Elevated pushups
Using a platform or wall, start in an elevated plank position with your hands in line with your shoulders. Slowly lower your chest until it makes contact with the surface, and then quickly push away until your elbows are straight. Make sure your elbows are tucked at your sides and that your body moves in a straight line throughout the exercise. The lower the platform, the more difficult this movement will feel.
Heel raises
Standing straight with your feet hip-width apart, quickly raise your heels, and then slowly lower them down onto the ground. Prioritize staying controlled and balanced through your heels.
Scott recommends starting with one 20- minute session once a week. Try three sets of three to five repetitions each.
A higher-intensity exercise: Squat jumps
This one is for folks with a foundation of at least three months of regular aerobic exercise, like walking or cycling, as well as one to two days a week of strength training, says Scott. Even then, start with just 20 minutes of explosive power a week, and keep repetitions low.
Start with your feet hip-width apart and arms slightly behind your torso. Slowly lower yourself into a squat, with your feet flat on the ground and your chest upright. Then accelerate out of the squat into a vertical jump, fully extending the hips. As you land, return back to a squat position.
See the full story for more moves and guidelines, plus video demonstrations from NPR’s own Margaret Cirino.
Also: 6 feel-good exercises to alleviate sore, achy feet |
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Australia plans to strengthen laws banning kids from social media |
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We hope you enjoyed these stories. Find more of NPR's health journalism online.
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Andrea Muraskin and your NPR Health editors |
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