GLP-1 use continues to grow as more individuals explore these medications for weight management. Along with rising interest come important questions about effectiveness, long-term outcomes, and cost. While some employer approaches have fallen short, others are finding more sustainable ways to provide access and support. How can companies develop a thoughtful GLP-1 strategy that delivers meaningful value for both employees and the organization?

Yasmine Meneses, manager of consultant relations and registered dietitian at Nutrium, provided insight into this topic during a thought leadership spotlight at From Day One’s June virtual conference. Working among benefits teams and leaders, Meneses says GLP-1 medications are “one of the most discussed line items in pharmacy spend right now.” 

One of the most common questions employees ask is whether their health plan covers GLP-1s. It sounds straightforward, but the answer is often anything but. “The question isn’t just whether you cover it, it’s what you’re paying for around it to make it sustainable and get that ROI,” she said. 

A study of people without diabetes who started GLP-1 medications for obesity found that nearly 70% discontinued treatment within a year. Given the high cost of these medications, those findings raise important questions about long-term value, she says. Many people who stop taking GLP-1s regain weight, yet employers may still face significant, ongoing costs associated with coverage. As a result, HR leaders and CFOs are increasingly weighing how to offer these medications in a way that supports employee health while remaining financially sustainable.

It’s important to note that coverage is not a strategy. Coverage answers the single question about who gets access, but strategy answers a more difficult question which is, “What happens next?”

The Public Health Story

“About 40% of adults are living with obesity and with the changes in definition to obesity, some might say that it’s even higher,” said Meneses. “One in 10 adults are living with severe obesity. Those rates are roughly three times higher than what they were in the 60s.” The public health story behind pharmacy spend doesn’t typically show up labeled as obesity, she says. “It’s usually arriving to you in rising claims, high-cost claimants, chronic condition burden, leaves of absence, disability, and the benefits complexity that just keeps on multiplying,” she said. 

This is where GLP-1s enter the picture. A successful benefits strategy has to account for a workforce with a wide range of experiences and access points. Some employees receive GLP-1s through the employer's health plan, while others obtain them through self-pay, direct-to-consumer providers, or other channels. Still others may be considering whether the medications are right for them.

HR’s approach can’t focus only on employees whose prescriptions are covered by the company’s health plan. Instead, benefits strategies should be designed to support employees across the full spectrum of GLP-1 use and decision-making, recognizing that workers will engage with these medications in different ways. “That’s why the individual coverage decision here is never the whole answer,” said Meneses.

“The goal for you as an HR team member is not to become a clinical decision maker. That’s not on your work description and that’s not something that you should be worrying about,” said Meneses. “The goal is to build a benefits architecture that is consistent, explainable and fair.”

Before making decisions about GLP-1 coverage, HR leaders should be able to answer three questions: What support is available before an employee starts the medication? What support is provided while they're on therapy? And what support is in place after they stop? It's equally important to consider employees who never use GLP-1s but still need effective weight-management and metabolic health resources.

“GLP-1 therapy sits inside a broader model of care that includes healthy diet, physical activity, behavioral support, and professional guidance, and with that intensive behavioral intention interventions should be offered alongside the medication, and that is in order to enhance treatment outcomes,” said Meneses.

Support From Nutrium Care

Meneses says Nutrium’s approach reflects that broader philosophy. Rather than treating GLP-1s as a standalone benefit, Nutrium Care integrates them into a comprehensive nutrition strategy designed to support employees before, during, and after medication use.

“The infrastructure you build for GLP-1 users should be the exact same infrastructure serving employees who need metabolic health support, chronic condition management support, or simply a structured entry point into better habits,” she said. 

Nutrium offers a dual-path model which covers care complexity and offers various steps. Everyone starts at the Health Foundations Review, which is the same front door for all and includes an initial assessment with a registered dietitian. 

The program starts with phase one: building the foundation through nutrition education and habit formation. A registered dietitian then determines whether GLP-1 therapy may be appropriate for consideration by a clinician. In phase two, members follow either a GLP-1 or non-GLP-1 health journey, while receiving the same standard of care. The final phase, graduation, focuses on long-term maintenance, autonomy, and relapse prevention—the stage where the program’s long-term success is often determined. 

“So that communication, that story needs to land clearly, and the reason for that is internal word of mouth is either your best enrollment tool and your best friend or your biggest credibility factor,” said Meneses. “We really need to make sure that we’re clearly stating how these are equal and not different.”

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

Kristen Kwiatkowski is a professional freelance writer covering a wide array of industries, with a focus on food and beverage and business. Her work has been featured in the Bucks County Herald, Eater Philly, Edible Lehigh Valley, Cider Culture, and The Town Dish.

(Photo by skynesher/iStock)