About PoundsPunch
In this article, you'll get:
Welcome to PoundsPunch!
My name is Yuchi Song (You-Chee), the principal content creator for this site.
With a PhD in Education and Disaster Management, and an MBA, I stumbled into the healthcare industry as my first job 15 years ago. Having worked at one of the largest health insurance companies, and a nationally recognized hospital system, I am now calling myself a veteran. Everything is written based off firsthand experience.
Let me spill the beans – the US healthcare system is like a maze with powerful players stacked like a Jenga tower. We've got insurance payers, healthcare providers, pharmaceuticals, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), retail pharmacies – you name it. It's a realm filled with jargon and entangled structures. Together, they're sending confusing messages to everyday Americans. It breaks my heart, especially when it comes to GLP-1 RA, a weight loss drug causing global frenzy. This is like a blockbuster movie, but nobody knows the full story. Why the hype? Why is it hard to get? How to snag it without going bankrupt? These questions keep me up at night, especially knowing that over 100 million adults and 15 million children in the US are grappling with obesity, costing us a whopping $173 billion annually.
So I started PoundsPunch with a single mission in mind – To crack open the mysteries of weight loss medications.
I am here to empower you with answers to questions like below.
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How many types of weight loss drugs are out there?
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Are they working? And why has there been such a frenzy around them?
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How can you get your hands on them? What about insurance, PBMs, and pharmaceutical companies?
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What was my journey?
I care because this topic is personal.
My journey into the weight-loss topic began with my own struggle to shed excess pounds. It insanely took me 8 years to drop from 254 lbs. to 201 lbs. Diet, exercise, home remedies, etc. You name it. And, regardless of my continued efforts, my weight plateaued. I know firsthand how tough and desperate it can be; and how my body cannot function optimally with a BMI over 30. The struggle is real, and it's universal. Our willpower indeed helps, but the biggest puzzle is that our bodies seem to be hard wired to keep those extra pounds.
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The catalyst for PoundsPunch came during a recent dinner with a former colleague who made my jaw drop seeing him lose over 70 lb. through, in his own words, “a few injections”. Of course, I immediately start researching such magical injections. And voilà, in the next couple of hours, I learned a whole new world with countless weird jargon and drug names. All of a sudden, everyone is talking about it. Big pharma, Wall Street, doctors, FDA, and us. What I also found was the hefty price tag coming with these drugs—over $1,000 a month. Of course. Think about the scale of the global market for these drugs, and the many downstream impact to industries such as food, transportation, clothing, and so on. Since I am working in the health insurance industry. The first question that pops into my mind was: who is going to pay for it?
What I heard was even more disheartening: no one wants to pay for it. Insurance companies seem reluctant to cover weight loss drugs, even for people with legitimate medical reasons, due to their high monthly costs; not to mention the life-style use for people like you and I. Granted, it wasn't just about the expenses; it was also the growing concern about fraud – some of these medications were for off-label uses, since these were originally FDA-approved for patients with Type II Diabetes, not for weight loss purposes unless you had diabetes.
We discover the keys to a heathier, happier you together.
I decided to create PoundsPunch as a beacon of understanding in this labyrinthine landscape. And I am passionate to share what I know with you. It became clear to me that the need for affordable, effective weight loss solutions was significant, not just in my community but throughout the country and the world. My goal is to help you crack open the mysteries surrounding weight loss drugs, how they function, and how to get covered when you need them.
PoundsPunch isn't just about information; it's about empowerment. I aim to provide straightforward and fun guidance, demystifying the weight loss drug business so that individuals like you and I can make informed choices and get the help we need. So, welcome to PoundsPunch. Let's embark on this journey together, as we explore, learn, and discover the keys to a healthier, happier you.
What can you get from PoundsPunch?
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At PoundsPunch, you will find articles to demystify the complex world of pharmaceuticals, health insurance, and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) without overwhelming you with jargon and terminology that feels like a foreign language.
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Keep an eye out for our upcoming free weekly newsletter, keeping pace with the newest industry trends and buzz words.
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Additionally, you'll be able to participate in our forum, where you can discuss your concerns, share your stories, and ask me questions (it's also in the works and coming soon).
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Furthermore, you will find insider interviews in video and podcast formats. I'll be interviewing experts and industry leaders, doctors, nurses, and everyday individuals like us who are in battle. I want to hear your courageous and sometimes frustrating stories to let you know that you're not alone.
I am here to break it down for you, step by step, starting with the basics and gradually diving into industry insights.
With PoundsPunch, you're not just accessing information; you're joining a community where we make the path to healthier choices, an enjoyable and enlightening adventure.
So, let's embark on this quest together, get healthier, wiser, and have a great time doing it!
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