GLP-1 medications, originally developed for diabetes management and now widely prescribed for weight management, have become the single hottest cost issue for employer benefits leaders and their brokers heading into 2026. Per KFF's 2025 survey, 43% of firms with 5,000 or more workers now cover GLP-1s for weight loss, up from just 28% the year prior, and 66% of the largest employers report a significant increase in overall prescription drug spending as a direct result.
Employer responses to date have concentrated on utilization management: 34% of firms covering GLP-1s require enrollees to meet with a dietitian, case manager, or therapist as a condition of coverage. Earlier chronic-care management can reduce reliance on the highest-cost specialty drug pathways, framed as a contributing strategy alongside utilization management.
43% of firms with 5,000 or more workers cover GLP-1 drugs for weight loss as of 2025, up from 28% the year before, per KFF's Employer Health Benefits Survey.
34% of firms covering GLP-1s for weight loss require enrollees to meet with a dietitian, case manager, or therapist, or participate in a lifestyle program, as a condition of coverage.
Earlier management of the cardiometabolic and chronic conditions that often precede a GLP-1 prescription can reduce reliance on the highest-cost specialty drug pathways, though this should be framed as a contributing strategy, not a guarantee.
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