Input Stories

More large U.S. employers are covering weight-loss drugs, according to a survey out Wednesday (Reuters, subscription).  
 
What’s going on: “About 44% of U.S. employers with 500 or more employees cover drugs for weight loss in 2024, up from 41% in 2023, according to a survey from consulting firm Mercer released on Wednesday.”  

• The percentage is even higher for larger employers. Some 64% of those with more than 20,000 employees covered weight-loss drugs this year, compared to 56% in 2023.  

What’s being covered: The medications being covered more frequently include Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, as well as older medications, such as Novo Nordisk’s Saxenda.  
 
Why it’s important: With health care plan costs rising, “employers have expanded health plan options and focused on those that have metrics comparing patient outcomes against costs, the report said.” 

• Wegovy and Zepbound, part of the new GLP-1 drug class, have been “shown in trials to reduce [body] weight by 15% to 20%,” and are beneficial for controlling blood sugar and lowering the risk of heart disease, which could cut costs for employers significantly.