Ozempic is a drug for diabetes, but it's also being used off-label for weight loss. Its active ingredient has inspired a new class of weight-loss drugs.

Unless the government intervenes to lower the price or forces insurers to cover the drugs, they will remain out of range for many people.

Independence Blue Cross said starting Jan. 1 it will only be covering GLP-1 agonists — commonly sold under brand names like Wegovy and Ozempic — when prescribed for their Food and Drug Administration -approved uses. That includes type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Weight loss with Ozempic or Wegovy can come with nausea, but avoiding certain foods and drinks can help patients manage the side effects, doctors say.