Helping Employers Navigate Costs and Care in the GLP-1 Era

BY Stephanie Reed | July 01, 2025

As demand for prescription weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy remains high, employers are feeling growing pressure to cover them, and that pressure isn’t going away.

In 2023, 45% of American adults surveyed were interested in weight loss prescriptions, and 80% said insurance should cover GLP-1s for obese adults. More notably, 53% of Americans said insurance should cover the cost of weight loss drugs for anyone who wants to lose weight. This demand is reflected in the market value of GLP-1s expected to reach $77 billion by 2030.

During a thought leadership spotlight at From Day One’s Chicago conference, Dr. Avantika Waring, chief medical officer at 9amHealth, shared insight into creating sustainable care solutions for overall cardiometabolic health treatment. She spoke about what successful, sustainable weight care benefits look like for both employers and employees.

9amHealth helps organizations save costs with tailored and comprehensive cardiometabolic care plans amidst the growing demand for GLP-1s, says Waring. According to a 2024 survey, 67% of respondents would likely or be very likely to stay at jobs they don't like if weight loss medication were covered.“This is something that people really value, and it’s very hard when people change jobs and they lose coverage to kind of go on and off,” she said. 

Another crucial takeaway of the survey is that respondents value weight loss coverage more than unlimited PTO, work-from-home or hybrid work models, and team-bonding activities. 

Dr. Avantika Waring, chief medical officer at 9amHealth, led the thought leadership spotlight 

Does the demand justify the cost for employers? The annual healthcare costs for individuals with obesity rise with the severity of the condition, making effective treatment a potential cost-saver, says Waring. Successful weight loss, she says, can lead to lower monthly medical spending.

Picking the right population is another aspect to consider because employers will see a higher ROI providing comprehensive weight loss care to an employee who has severe obesity and other chronic conditions. “What conditions do they have? Are the conditions severe? Are they mild conditions that are likely to respond to lifestyle only? That’s how you’re going to really maximize the value,” she said. 

Employers can consider medications more affordable than GLP-1s as part of an effective weight health and obesity management program, says Waring. There are more affordable weight management medications in the form of oral pills that aren’t being considered because of our current GLP-1 era. “We have a lot of tools in our toolbox, and part of the kind of challenge, and also the fun, is figuring out what type of treatment is going to match best with the individual patient.”

Lastly, when employers choose to cover GLP-1s in a controlled way, it gives employees who need it the most access based on clear medical criteria. 

What Successful Weight Benefits Look Like  

Comprehensive weight management care incorporates a program, physician, or clinical group providing multi-disciplinary expertise. This makes it easier to identify effective weight care benefits.

9amHealth uses a “smart” triage to deliver efficient care, incorporating AI-driven clinical decision support, multi-disciplinary specialty expertise, and updated literature and protocols as further guidance, she says. “You want to work with a team that really functions like a clinic, and they can help you connect with your primary care, and get your referrals to specialists within your network,” Waring said.

Successful weight benefits cover lab testing to discover undiagnosed underlying conditions. This helps individuals receive the proper medications and personalized guidance and coaching they need.  

About 60% of 9amHealth members have other health conditions, which is why the organization recommends comprehensive cardiometabolic screenings and provides tailored virtual care, says Waring. Effective weight care benefits also involve selecting the right, insurance-covered medications based on each individual’s full health profile and addressing lifestyle challenges like dietary needs and family responsibilities as part of goal-setting.

“So really, what we’re trying to do at 9am is bring all of these components of care together, and I do think that that provides a really great experience for people that helps them to be successful, not just in the short term, but in the long term.”

Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, 9amHealth, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight. 

Stephanie Reed is a freelance news, marketing, and content writer. Much of her work features small business owners throughout diverse industries. She is passionate about promoting small, ethical, and eco-conscious businesses.

(Photos by Tim Hiatt for From Day One)

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With the recent increase in demands for new drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic, 43% of employers are now considering covering GLP-1s next year, nearly double today’s number. Since its first FDA approval in 2005, GLP-1s have proven effective for health conditions like obesity and diabetes.However, with a steep price tag and concerns about misusage, leaders may find adding GLP-1s to their benefits offerings to be challenging. In a recent From Day One webinar, physicians from Accolade joined moderator Katie Miller Blakemore, senior manager of events at Accolade, to discuss the trends around GLP-1s.Understanding Cost BenefitsOn average, medication like Ozempic can cost more than $1,000 per month, a deterrent for some leaders considering proving it in their benefits. However, there may be greater healthcare costs if employers choose not to offer these drugs, says James Wantuck, MD, associate chief medical officer at Accolade and co-founder of Plush.“There are two sides to this equation: the cost of the drugs and the cost of not using the drugs,” Wantuck said. “Employers need to consider the costs for not using the drugs which may include things like absence from work or inability to do as much at work.”Wantuck points to the cost of obesity as one example. Chronic diseases caused by obesity and excess weight cost 1.72 trillion dollars in the U.S. alone in 2016.With a direct effect on one’s cardiovascular system, GLP-1s can reduce the severity of these diseases by reducing the chances of heart failure and strokes. Having healthier employees is an invaluable asset to any company, Wantuck said. “It’s harder to dismiss and not cover a drug that prevents a heart attack,” Wantuck said. “The price decreases as employees get less sick.”In comparison to similar countries, GLP-1s cost five to ten times more in the U.S. and the prices are not expected to change anytime soon, says Connie Hwang, MD, Accolade’s chief medical officer.“The FDA approved GLP-1s almost two decades ago, and yet there are no generic competitors in this class of drugs,” Hwang said. “The patents and regulatory exclusivity granted show a median of 18.3 years of market protection and so putting this into perspective, the earliest date for a possible generic Ozempic is guaranteed for December 2031. Employers need a GLP-1s strategy now as there is likely no pricing relief in sight.”Dr. Connie Hwang, chief medical officer at Accolade spoke with Dr. James Wantuck and Katie Miller Blakemore during the webinar (company photo)Giving Access to the Right PeopleNot everybody qualifies for GLP-1s but high costs and the spike in popularity of some drugs from mainstream media have caused employers to enforce restrictions and in some cases, outright bans.Qualifying for GLP-1s states individuals need to have a BMI greater than 30 along with medical problems such as hypertension, type two diabetes, or cardiovascular disease.“Some large employers have eliminated coverage for GLP-1s for the weight loss indication, and many have done so pointing to the greater than 200% total cost increases that they’ve been seeing,” Hwang said.Eliminating GLP-1 options negatively affects people who need the medications, bringing the strategy back to the need for employers to evaluate cost benefits. In a study of how members receiving GLP-1s meet the protocol criteria, researchers discovered that 94% of Accolade Care members did meet the criteria.Offering GLP-1s is only the beginning of the journey for employers, Wantuck says. Employers need to provide employees with resources to continue the momentum of their lifestyle change for a successful exit from these drugs.“You have to be open to a lifestyle change to change your habits, diet, and exercise routine to make these drugs the most effective that they can be,” Wantuck said. “These drugs facilitate this weight loss and allow people to reach the goals they’ve never been able to reach before, and I think that inspires them to change their habits.”Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Accolade, for sponsoring this webinar.Wanly Chen is a writer and poet based in New York City.

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Breaking the GLP-1 Cost Cycle for a Healthier Workforce, Lower Costs, and Smarter Care

The American workplace faces a costly challenge: how to offer access to high-demand weight-loss medications without overwhelming benefits budgets. With monthly prices exceeding $1,000, these treatments are becoming powerful tools in talent retention strategies across corporate America.During a From Day One webinar, Cody Fair, chief commercial officer at digital health company Noom, shared just how dramatically these drugs are influencing employment decisions. GLP-1 medications have revolutionized obesity treatment, delivering substantial weight loss for millions of Americans. 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Employers often have access to virtual health programs through their pharmacy benefit managers, and many have tried these to target diabetes in recent years. The biopharmaceutical company Moderna, which offers coverage of GLP-1s for diabetes and weight management, is one company that has tried this strategy. “In 2023 we saw a spike related to weight-loss management: We looked at claims data, and after mental health, obesity and weight management were the second drivers,” Jeffrey Stohlberg, Moderna’s director of corporate benefits, said at a From Day One conference earlier this year. 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