Insider Today: Austin’s genius housing fix

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Welcome back to our Saturday edition! You’re not alone if you’ve ever struggled to make a big decision. Shailene Woodley credits George Clooney for accepting a multi-year contract after being “scared to say yes” to the “Divergent” series. The films went on to make $346 million at the box office.

On the agenda:

• Their dreams of post-retirement RVing backfired. They made a better plan.
• Jackson Hole’s first adults-only hotel is a Western masterpiece.
• Millennials and Gen Zers are helicopter parenting their own parents.
• How Austin fixed the soaring cost of home ownership.

But first: Ozempic is pricey.

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This week’s dispatch

The high cost of weight-loss drugs

Why are two popular weight-loss drugs — Wegovy and diabetes medication Ozempic — so expensive in the US? That’s the question Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen was grilled on this week by politicians in Washington, DC.

Sen. Bernie Sanders pointed out during Wednesday’s hearing that Ozempic costs an average of $969 monthly in the US, compared to $59 in Germany. Wegovy averages $1,349 a month in the US, while in Germany, it’s only $140.

I spoke to Business Insider’s senior health reporter Gabby Landsverk about what this means for American consumers.

So, to ask the big question: Why are these medications so much more expensive in the US?

That’s business as usual. In other countries, government agencies negotiate with drug companies so consumers pay less.

Here, we have middlemen — pharmacy benefit managers — who are supposed to do that negotiating. But the Federal Trade Commission, which has been conducting a years-long inquiry into this system, recently alleged that these managers keep prices high to pocket the profits.

How is the cost of these meds affecting how people actually use and access them?

People who can’t afford to pay $1,000 a month for meds often end up trying to ration their supply or microdosing it. Patients also bargain-hunt for cheaper weight-loss drugs online, or try to use manufacturer-issued coupons.

Telehealth companies, like Ro and Henry Meds, help patients wrangle insurance to try to cover brand-name drugs. They also offer discounted versions of the drugs that contain the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy. There is some regulation, though the products aren’t FDA-approved so there’s risk involved.

The drug companies aren’t happy about the competition. Eli Lilly, which makes Mounjaro and Zepbound, even launched its own half-price weight-loss product and telehealth service to fight back against copycats.

Rethinking RVing

Marie L. Mangin and her husband always dreamed of getting a camper van and going on epic road trips in retirement. But things went south after finally buying an RV, which they found to be too small and pricey to be sustainable.

The couple pivoted — but never gave up on their road-trip dreams. They sold the camper and found a mode of transportation that works for them.

What they’re doing instead.

Also read:

• The biggest mistakes beginners make when traveling in an RV, according to RV lifers who have traveled to all 50 states

Welcome to Hotel Yellowstone

Jackson, Wyoming’s first adults-only hotel opened in August. BI’s travel reporter spent a night at the boutique property, which quickly claimed the spot as one of her favorites.

With a private balcony overlooking the Tetons and tasteful Western interior design, the room exudes luxury.

See inside the new hotel.

Also read:

• I flew into the only airport inside a US national park. It felt more like a luxury hotel lobby than a terminal.

Find my parents

Parents have long used location-tracking apps to keep tabs on their kids. Now, millennials and Gen Zers are turning the tech back onto their parents.

Some adult children are using apps like Apple’s Find My and Life360 to track their parents’ whereabouts. For some families it can be a fun way to stay connected. But if things go awry, location sharing can easily turn into an invasion of privacy that family members come to resent.

Meet the helicopter kids.

A boom-bust to copy-paste

Austin’s real-estate market was on fire during the pandemic, but the boom went bust within a couple of years. Now, home prices are down compared to where they were a year ago.

Still, the boom-bust cycle will be good for Austin in the long run. There might be short-term pain for those who bought at the peak, but the city gets one major benefit: More housing supply, which will avert an affordability crisis. Other cities could stand to take a page out from the Lone Star playbook.

How Austin slashed home prices.

What we’re watching this weekend

• “Inside Out 2”: The Pixar sequel, which broke records to become the highest-grossing animated movie of all time, is now on Disney+.
• “Oddity”: Forget “Longlegs” — the actual best horror movie of the year is streaming on Shudder.
• “The Great British Baking Show”: Ready, set, bake! The 12th installment of the beloved baking show just premiered on Netflix.

See the full list

Deals we love

• Calling all Madewell shoppers: The bi-annual Madewell Insiders sale is here with 25% off almost everything full-price and an additional 40% off sale. Sign up with your email and save big on some of our favorite denim and basics.
• It’s spooky season: Fall is officially here, so it’s time to let our guide to the best Halloween decorations inspire you. From tabletop centerpieces to ghostly candles, we’re here to help you get the creative juices flowing.
• iPhone 16 hot take: Our senior tech reporter explains in his iPhone 16 review why you might not need to upgrade from the base model to the Pro version.

More of this week’s top reads:

• We spent $275 at Fleming’s Steakhouse. It’s better suited for business dinners than date nights.
• A 70-year-old who got into weightlifting explains how she lost 70 pounds.
• Millennials and Gen Zers share their top hidden-gem travel destinations.
• I paid $120 for a fine-dining experience narrated by AI. High-brow restaurants should take notes.
• The US’ top supplement expert takes these three when he’s busy.
• A mom describes the differences in quality of life between Switzerland and the US.
• Step inside a 5-star resort in one of Panama City’s wealthiest neighborhoods.
• Traveler who’s been to over 50 countries ranks this Central Asian gem as one of her favorites.

Aldi shoppers have spoken: These are the best things to buy at the chain right now.

The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York City. Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Amanda Yen, fellow, in New York. Grace Lett, editor, in Chicago.