Some 40% of the US population is obese, but promising drugs that have come onto the market in recent years may offer a solution.
The class of drugs, called GLP-1, has long been prescribed to treat diabetes but is now available for weight loss as well. Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound are two GLP-1s that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for weight loss.
These medications have a high price tag at an estimated $1,000 per patient per month, and the question of whether to cover them is particularly relevant to workplaces in the US, as almost 60% of Americans rely on their employer for health insurance. Most HR decision-makers (81%) surveyed by the personalized healthcare company Accolade last fall said they felt their employees would be interested in GLP-1s, and 43% said they intend to cover the drugs in 2024, up from 25% in 2023.
Healthcare companies currently working with employers covering GLP-1s for weight loss are emphasizing combining the medications with other lifestyle treatments, asserting that the drugs alone aren’t a silver bullet.
How Labcorp is covering GLP-1s. The healthcare company Labcorp has been covering GLP-1s for type 2 diabetes patients through its pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) benefit package for almost a decade, Brian Caveney, chief medical and scientific officer, told HR Brew. Once the FDA approved indications of the drug for weight loss, it seemed a natural extension for the company to cover them, but Caveney said his team wanted to be sure it was providing adequate clinical support to workers being prescribed the drugs.
“We think it’s important not to just release our employees out in the world and say, ‘Good luck with this $1,000-a-month medication,’” he said.
Labcorp landed on providing clinical support through an expanded partnership with WeightWatchers for Business, which was announced on Feb. 7. With the new investment, US employees on GLP-1s will have access to virtual care and medication management through WeightWatchers. Eligible employees can be prescribed the medications either through their doctors or through WeightWatchers.
WeightWatchers’ GLP-1 program, which launched in December, is designed to help patients taking the drug for weight loss be successful, whether they’re receiving the prescription through a WeightWatchers physician or not, said Amy Meister, chief medical officer for the brand. Given research suggests these drugs are more effective when combined with physical activity and dietary changes, current FDA labeling recommends “they be prescribed concurrently with a behavioral and lifestyle treatment plan,” Meister explained. WeightWatchers provides nutritional guidance, as well as exercise activities with resistance training, in light of these recommendations.
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Omada Health, another company providing virtual support to patients receiving GLP-1s through their employers, takes a similar approach in its programs. In May 2023, Omada rolled out a specialized program for members taking GLP-1s featuring lifestyle change resources as well as community support. More recently, Omada added “expanded musculoskeletal exercise programming” to its offerings, as this has been shown to help sustain weight loss after patients stop taking it.
“We believe that muscle loss and the lack of fitness after discontinuing a GLP-1 is a key part of why people regain the weight,” said Carolyn Bradner Jasik, Omada’s chief medical officer, of the addition of this programming. “We think we have a big opportunity to support people who have chosen to go off this medication in maintaining their weight by focusing on overall lifestyle and monitoring.”
Monitoring medications closely. Omada has been encouraging employers to approach GLP-1 coverage holistically, incorporating not only lifestyle programs, but also treatment for related conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, said Wei-Lei Shao, the company’s president.
“I would compel HR leaders to think more broadly,” Shao said. “Why bring in a weight loss-only solution that doesn’t integrate with your existing weight management, diabetes prevention, hypertension, and diabetes programs?....What you really want is a GLP-1 program or care track that spans the condition set that most people, unfortunately, in the United States have.”
Bradner Jasik and Shao said pharmacy benefit managers can be helpful consultants in benefit design, as they have access to data that may help inform employers on how to get the best health outcomes while managing costs.
Labcorp indicated it’s cognizant of the fact investing money in GLP-1s can take away from other workforce investments, such as pay raises or other benefits, and will be closely monitoring utilization and adherence to GLP-1s among its employee base.
“Like any other payer or employer who’s bearing that cost, we want to be extremely responsible,” Caveney said. “We’re watching very, very, closely [the] utilization, appropriateness of it, persistence on the medication…and most importantly, adherence to this new [WeightWatchers] program that we’ve just launched.” Labcorp will work closely with its PBM as well as WeightWatchers to do so.