The benefit manager faces the demand for GLP-1 benefits.

The number of employees inquiring about the weight loss program and the extended glucagon -like peptide -1 weight loss drug such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound is the next big trend to hit the employee benefits world. Executives are curious about how to buy these drugs in the starting method and benefit plan.

Dialogue over GLP-1 drugs, designed to lower blood sugar levels and lower appetite, has been picked up in the last two years. If it is mainly operated by the use of celebrities, the drugs commonly prescribed for diabetes patients are Popularity and costs have soared.

PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPER’s October 2024 Business model re-creation GLP-1 trends and influence The survey surveyed about 3,000 Americans on the effects of GLP-1 drugs on lifestyle, spending habits and consumption patterns.

According to the data, 60%of respondents took GLP-1 to lose weight, and 58%surpassed 58%of choosing diabetes treatment. A separate 56%said that if the child is diagnosed with childhood obesity, it is likely to use GLP-1 to choose treatment.

The cost remains the biggest factor that interferes with adoption, which is listed by 65%of respondents, which are the most relevant reasons for not taking GLP-1 drugs. The hesitation was 39%, 47%, and the second largest reason for side effects.

ELI Lilly, a pharmaceutical company, started Digital Medical Platform Lillydirect In January last year, monopoly weight loss medications Mounjaro and Zepbound help people with obesity, diabetes and migraines. In the second half of that year, we expanded the distribution of Zepbound Competitor RO’s Remote Health Platform.

This trend is expected to grow exponentially in 2025.

Read more: New types of weight loss drugs may be worth investing.

Some benefits that recognize the benefits of GLP-1 give priority to changes in behavior by adopting a subtle approach to drugs.

Ilant Health is one of those companies. Obesity Treatment Fintech cooperates with the company to allow employees to access professional clinicians and provide tools designed to prevent and prevent obesity through value and evidence -based treatment programs.

Elina Onitskansky, the founder and chief executive of ILANT HELTH, said, “In the past few years, many conversations about obesity are interested in GLP-1 and its costs.” We think that GLP-1 is an important tool for obesity, but it is important to focus on conversations on certain treatment, but health, longevity and welfare are healthy, longevity and welfare. I think profitability is also important for the importance of treating obesity in a sustainable way to improve. ”

The treatment plan is built using the company ILANT metabolism is important Decision -making model. The IMM model uses data such as on boarding format, available medical records, and laboratory results to determine the vision score that shows the risk of patients due to obesity and a specific effect of various treatment processes.

The available options vary from behavioral therapy for both behavioral therapy of low vision, oral drugs such as Orlistat, metformin and SGLT2, and obesity surgery and injections such as GLP-1S (Wegovy, Zepbound) of patients with higher aciitie. GLP-1 and surgery can be exchanged according to the risk of surgery and the water soluble of weight loss drugs.

Read more: Employees want weight loss drugs, but how can the employer pay the cost?

Learn more about how the benefit manager can provide the company with weight loss benefits.

Monetary rewards are not the answer to improving weight loss benefits.

Data data Weight loss Wondr Health, a beneficiary provider, is a financial incentive for benefits among some customers, which can help employees participate, but it does not actually encourage participation.

In a survey of 73 employer who compared the level of employees between the company that provided financial incentives and the company that provided nothing, the stimulates exceeded the average subscription rate of less than 2% for those who were stimulated. Comparing the weight loss results, the margin is reduced to 0.1%.

Dr. Tim Church, the chief medical officer of Wondr Health, said in the employee benefits news, “Financial incentives are not enough to change their behavior in the long run.” Incentives can be a powerful tool for people to do a step that they didn’t do in other ways, but they are not a treatment. “

Read more: Financial incentives will not successfully lose weight loss benefits.

What do you choose to cover GLP-1?

Glucagon-similar peptide-1 (GLP-1) drug is more than to deform the waist circumference. Blood sugar level -The corporate culture is financing.

When employers have difficulty in including GLP-1 in the benefit package, they face complex decisions that are summarized as two main factors. Human resources And finance. There is a possibility on one side Employee health improvement And productivity. On the other hand, employers face significant costs and implementation problems.

To explore this terrain requires delicate balance of financial responsibility and dedication to employee welfare.

Read more: The main factor in the decision to cover the GLP-1

A case study on the impact of weight loss benefits

Robert Flores, a 52 -year -old, decided that it was time for new things after spending about 30 years on a variety of diets and exercise programs, reducing weight and gaining immediately.

Flores started with Wondr Health’s free one -year online curriculum through the employer Lumen Technologies in early 2024. About a year later, he drove 100 pounds.

“(Already) One of the things I’m doing was to change my way of thinking. I have to lose X pounds by the Y date.” Flores did not think about weight loss to EBN, but rather how to manage health care?

Read more: How to lose 100 pounds using employee benefits

What should the employer know before adopting GLP-1 benefits?

GLP-1 drugs have been popular since earlier this year. Those who wanted to lose weight on the drugs developed to lower blood sugar levels and lower appetite were popular because companies began to pay attention.

AN’s data Survey conducted by PWC in October 2024 About 3,000 people have found that 8%to 10%of the polls have a prescription for GLP-1. 30% to 35% of respondents said they were interested in using GLP-1.

Wondr Health’s Dr. Church said to EBN, “We have a tool that can truly create prevention.” And is it time for us to start changing medical dollars from treatment to prevention? “

Read more: GLP-1 adoption guide: How to add this benefit by employer to add this benefit in 2025

Pictures by pEXELS’s shvets

Behavioral health support is the core for GLP-1 adoption.

All people Obesity I think I’m talking about these days Brokers and torture A person who talks with employer customers about providing and managing the cost of this drug.

In addition to high price tags, side effects, dry body mass and weight recovery, historical weight loss is all hot topics. Since eating disorders and obesity experts are known risks and accompanying diseases of obesity, they shared concerns with EBN about why behavioral health came from dialogue.

“People who work in obesity know that they have not been diagnosed for a long time or have not been treated. Behavioral health Carolyn Bradner Jasik, former chief medical officer of Omada Health, is often the core of the lack of obesity treatment.

Read more: Why GLP-1 patients should approach behavioral health support