Amber Stitt [00:00:00]:
Welcome to The Responsible Resident. I'm Amber Stitt. This podcast takes a common sense approach to financial decisions for physicians, breaking down complex topics into something clear, practical, and usable. Because you shouldn't have to have a finance degree to build financial freedom. This show is designed to help medical students, residents, fellows, and early career physicians better understand disability insurance, underwriting, and the financial decisions that can shape your future. Today we're talking about one of the biggest changes we're seeing in underwriting conversations right now: GLP-1 medications. Drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound. These medications have transformed the way physicians manage obesity, diabetes, and metabolic disease. For many patients, they've been life-changing. But if you're applying for disability insurance, you may be wondering, "Will taking one of these medications affect my application?" The short answer is, "Yes," but maybe not in the way you think.
Amber Stitt [00:01:00]:
One thing that's been especially interesting this year is hearing directly from disability insurance underwriters. This June, during Disability Insurance Awareness Month, I've had several conversations with underwriting teams about GLP-1 medications. One comment stood out. Nearly every underwriter agreed these medications have improved many people's lives. They aren't seeing widespread concerns today that the medications themselves are creating underwriting problems. Instead, they're asking different questions: questions about stability, questions about follow-up care, questions about the overall health picture. Because that's really what underwriting has always been about: understanding risk, not simply checking whether a medication appears on your prescription list. Let's start with how disability insurance underwriting works.
Amber Stitt [00:01:47]:
When you apply for coverage, underwriters review your medical history to understand your overall health and how likely you are to experience a disability during the policy period. They're evaluating things like blood pressure, medical diagnoses, laboratory results, medications, specialist evaluations, follow-up appointments, height and weight trends. Do you notice something here? They're looking for patterns, not isolated events. When it comes to GLP-1 medications, one of the first questions underwriters ask is, "Why are you taking the medication? Is it being prescribed for type 2 diabetes, obesity, insulin resistance, PCOS, metabolic syndrome, sleep apnea?" The medication is only one piece of the story. The diagnosis and how it's being managed is often far more important. Another theme we've been hearing from underwriters is something we see across many medical conditions, they like stability. Whether we're talking about anxiety medication, back pain, high blood pressure, or a GLP-1 medication, underwriters generally want to see that a treatment plan is working.
Amber Stitt [00:02:56]:
They want to see follow-up appointments. They want to see consistency. If someone starts a medication, how are they doing 6 months later, 9 months later? Have they improved? Are they tolerating treatment? If someone stops treatment, did the condition resolve? Or did symptoms return? Those follow-up visits often tell a much bigger story than the prescription itself. I'd like to take a second to tell you about a FREE Medical Professional's Blueprint that I created with you in mind. At some point in your career, you realize it's not just about making more money, it's about making decisions that actually support your life. That's exactly why I created "The Pathways Perspective for Physicians." It's a simple, non-technical framework to help you think through your career, your money, your risk, and how everything connects as your life evolves. You shouldn't have to have a finance degree to build financial freedom.
Amber Stitt [00:03:53]:
You don't need to have everything figured out. You just need a place to start. You can download the FREE Medical Professionals Blueprint at: StittStrategies.com/Blueprint. Weight stability has become another important part of the conversation. Many physicians assume that losing weight immediately improves underwriting. Sometimes it does. But underwriters are also asking, "Can that weight be maintained?" In many cases, they won't give full underwriting credit for the lower weight until it's been maintained for approximately 12 months. That doesn't mean your application can't move forward.
Amber Stitt [00:04:29]:
It simply means they want to see that the weight loss represents a new baseline, not just a temporary change. Again, they're looking for stability. Now, let's talk about disability insurance specifically. Remember, life insurance and disability insurance evaluate different risks. Life insurance asks, "How does this affect life expectancy?" Disability insurance asks, "Could this affect someone's ability to practice medicine?" Those are 2 very different questions. That's why disability insurance underwriting sometimes evaluates medical history differently than life insurance. So, does taking Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound, or another GLP-1 automatically mean you'll pay more? No. Does it automatically result in exclusions? No.
Amber Stitt [00:05:18]:
Does it automatically lead to a postponement? Again, no. What it usually means is that underwriters want additional context. They want to understand why you're taking the medication, how you're responding to the medication, whether your weight has stabilized, and whether your overall health appears well-managed. One of the biggest lessons we've learned over the years is that underwriting rarely focuses on a single prescription. It's almost always evaluating the bigger picture. Good documentation matters. Consistent follow-up matters. Working with your physicians matters.
Amber Stitt [00:05:52]:
Showing stability matters. Those principles apply to almost every medical condition, not just weight management. Here's another point that's worth mentioning: if you're considering starting a GLP-1 medication and you also know you'll need disability insurance in the near future, timing is still an important conversation. Not because these medications are bad, but because underwriting evaluates your health based on what's documented at the time you apply. Every situation is different. That's why it's often helpful to understand your options before making major changes to your medical history. Here's what I'd like you to remember from today's episode: GLP-1 medications are changing healthcare.
Amber Stitt [00:06:34]:
They're changing lives, and underwriters recognize that. The conversation today isn't centered on fear; it's centered on understanding. Understanding why the medication was prescribed. Understanding how your health has improved. Understanding whether your treatment has been stable over time. Because in underwriting, stability creates confidence. Whether it's your blood pressure, your mental health, your back pain, or your weight, consistent follow-up and well-documented medical care almost always tell the strongest story. If you're taking a GLP-1 medication, or are considering one, and you'd like to better understand how it may affect disability insurance underwriting, Scott and I would be happy to help through MD Disability Quotes.
Amber Stitt [00:07:19]:
And if you're looking for a broader framework for thinking about money, career, and risk throughout your medical journey, download the FREE Medical Professionals Blueprint at: StittStrategies.com/blueprint. Until next time, stay informed, protect your greatest financial asset, and as always, stay responsible. If this episode helped you think a little more clearly about your next step, that's the goal. You don't need to have everything figured out, but you do need to take ownership and take a meaningful step forward today. Thanks for listening to The Responsible Resident. As a reminder, this podcast is for general educational purposes only. It is not legal, tax, or individualized financial advice, and coverage options will vary based on your personal situation.
