A patient finally decides to prioritize their health. They wait weeks for an appointment. We talk, we plan, and they leave with hope. Then the pharmacy calls with a price tag over $1,000 a month and that hope disappears.

If that's happened to you, I made this episode for you. Because what most patients don't know is that there are real, legitimate ways to make this work and I'm breaking all of them down today.

An insurance denial is not a verdict on your health or your worth. It just means we need to get strategic. Listen now!

Episode Highlights:

• Why I never let my patients stop at the first insurance "no"

• The Zepbound Lilly Direct self-pay program and what it actually costs

• The Wegovy NovoCare self-pay option and its introductory pricing

• Oral GLP-1 medications — who they're right for and why they may surprise you

• Manufacturer coupons, GoodRx, and savings tools most patients walk past

• How to appeal a denial and exactly what documentation can move the needle

• Why thinking long-term changes everything about affordability

Connect with Dr. Alicia Shelly:

• Website | drshellymd.com

• Facebook | www.facebook.com/drshellymd

• Instagram | @drshellymd

• Linked In | www.linkedin.com/in/drshellymd

• Twitter | @drshellymd

About Dr. Alicia Shelly

Dr. Alicia Shelly was raised in Atlanta, GA. She received her Doctorate of Medicine from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, OH. Dr. Shelly has been practicing Primary Care and Obesity medicine since 2014. In 2017, she became a Diplomat of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. She is the lead physician at the Wellstar Medical Center Douglasville. She started a weekly podcast & Youtube channel entitled Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight loss, where she discusses how to get on track and stay on track with your weight loss journey. She has spoken for numerous local and national organizations, including the Obesity Medicine Association, and the Georgia Chapter of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons. She has been featured on CNN, Fox 5 News, Bruce St. James Radio show, Upscale magazine, and Shape.com. She was named an honoree of the 2021 Atlanta Business Chronicle's 40 under 40 award. She also is a collaborating author for the, "Made for More: Physician Entrepreneurs who Live Life and Practice Medicine on their own terms''.

Resources:

FREE! Discover the 5 Reasons Your Weight-Loss Journey Has Gotten Derailed (And How To Get Back On Track!) 👉 Click

People keep asking the same question: what's actually the difference between all these weight loss medications?

Ozempic. Wegovy. Mounjaro. Zepbound. Foundayo. Wegovy pill.

Some of these medications are injections, some are pills, some are FDA-approved for diabetes, others for weight loss, and some are actually the same medication with completely different brand names.

So I'm breaking it all down for you today — in plain language — because the confusion alone is keeping people from getting the treatment they need.

The real problem isn't just the brand names. It's that without knowing exactly how these medications differ, patients end up on the wrong one, pay out of pocket unnecessarily, or give up when insurance denies them. You deserve better than that.

Once you understand what each one actually does, the whole picture becomes much clearer. Listen now!

Episode Highlights:

• Why Ozempic and Wegovy are the same medication and why the difference still matters

• How tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound) works on two hormone pathways and why it tends to produce greater weight loss

• The new oral options — Foundayo and Wegovy pill — and who they're actually right for

• Real average weight loss numbers from clinical trials, by medication

• How insurance covers (or denies) each one and what I tell my patients when it does

• Who may be a candidate for these medications

Connect with Dr. Alicia Shelly:

• Website | drshellymd.com

• Facebook | www.facebook.com/drshellymd

• Instagram | @drshellymd

• Linked In | www.linkedin.com/in/drshellymd

• Twitter | @drshellymd

About Dr. Alicia Shelly

Dr. Alicia Shelly was raised in Atlanta, GA. She received her Doctorate of Medicine from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, OH. Dr. Shelly has been practicing Primary Care and Obesity medicine since 2014. In 2017, she became a Diplomat of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. She is the lead physician at the Wellstar Medical Center Douglasville. She started a weekly podcast & Youtube channel entitled Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight loss, where she discusses how to get on track and stay on track with your weight loss journey. She has spoken for numerous local and national organizations, including the Obesity Medicine Association, and the Georgia Chapter of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons. She has been featured on CNN, Fox 5 News, Bruce St. James Radio show, Upscale magazine, and Shape.com. She was named an honoree of the 2021 Atlanta Business Chronicle's 40 under 40 award. She also is a collaborating author for the, "Made for More: Physician Entrepreneurs who Live Life and Practice Medicine on their own terms''.

Resources:

FREE! Discover the 5 Reasons Your Weight-Loss Journey Has Gotten Derailed (And How To Get Back On Track!) 👉 Click

Medicare has spent years telling obesity patients: your medication isn't covered. Starting July 1, 2026, that may finally start to change.

In this episode, I will break down the new Medicare GLP-1 Bridge Demonstration Program — what it is, who qualifies, and which medications may be covered. This is not just a policy update. For thousands of patients who have paid hundreds of dollars out of pocket or given up on treatment altogether, this pilot program represents a real opening.

The biggest barrier to obesity treatment has never been willpower. It's been access.

This episode is your first look at what's coming and whether it applies to you.

Episode Highlights:

• What the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge Program is

• Which medications may be covered

• The three eligibility groups by BMI and medical condition

• Why this program matters beyond medication

• What the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA) is and why it still needs to pass

Connect with Dr. Alicia Shelly:

• Website | drshellymd.com

• Facebook | www.facebook.com/drshellymd

• Instagram | @drshellymd

• Linked In | www.linkedin.com/in/drshellymd

• Twitter | @drshellymd
  

About Dr. Alicia Shelly

Dr. Alicia Shelly was raised in Atlanta, GA. She received her Doctorate of Medicine from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, OH. Dr. Shelly has been practicing Primary Care and Obesity medicine since 2014. In 2017, she became a Diplomat of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. She is the lead physician at the Wellstar Medical Center Douglasville. She started a weekly podcast & Youtube channel entitled Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight loss, where she discusses how to get on track and stay on track with your weight loss journey. She has spoken for numerous local and national organizations, including the Obesity Medicine Association, and the Georgia Chapter of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons. She has been featured on CNN, Fox 5 News, Bruce St. James Radio show, Upscale magazine, and Shape.com. She was named an honoree of the 2021 Atlanta Business Chronicle's 40 under 40 award. She also is a collaborating author for the, "Made for More: Physician Entrepreneurs who Live Life and Practice Medicine on their own terms''.

Resources:

FREE! Discover the 5 Reasons Your Weight-Loss Journey Has Gotten Derailed (And How To Get Back On Track!) 👉 Click