Industry
Employer GLP-1 Weight-Loss Coverage Drops for First Time in Years
WTW's 2026 Best Practices in Healthcare Survey, released Oct. 28, finds employer coverage of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss fell from 57% to 53%, the first decline in three years. The survey of 471 employers with at least 100 employees found 30% of those still covering the drugs are considering dropping coverage, with 91% citing cost. Pharmacy spending is now the second-biggest employer cost pressure, with WTW projecting an 11.5% rise in 2026. Employers remain wary of cutting coverage outright, since it falls hardest on employees who benefit most, and most are reluctant to add plan restrictions despite cost pressure.
Why it mattersEmployer cost-containment moves on GLP-1 coverage signal broader commercial-market pressure that could shape how state Medicaid programs and MCOs negotiate pharmacy benefit and utilization management strategies for the same high-cost drug class.