As the use of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist drugs has increased, the demand for health plans to cover them has also increased, and it’s easy to see why. GLP-1 weight loss drugs can have a significant impact on health, helping people manage their weight while reducing the risk of chronic conditions that can arise from obesity. By covering GLP-1s, employers can significantly improve their overall workforce health, leading to improved health outcomes and productivity and reduced healthcare costs.
How GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs Can Help Improve Workforce Health
GLP-1s have a significant impact on the lives of the people taking them, but they aren’t the only ones who experience the positive impacts—their employers also experience the benefits of their workforce becoming healthier.
Here are just some of the ways GLP-1 weight loss drugs can have a positive impact on your overall workforce:
Improved Health
GLP-1s can help people lose 15-20 percent of their body weight, which is a range that was only previously achievable through bariatric surgery. This has a significant impact on metabolic health, can help people with type 2 diabetes, and may reduce the risk of chronic diseases arising from obesity or diabetes.
For example, GLP-1s can help reduce the risk of chronic conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, heart failure, and kidney disease. Additionally, GLP-1 research has expanded into several other areas, including research into Alzheimer’s disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, Parkinson’s disease, and more.
Improved Productivity and Performance
Employees who are managing their weight with GLP-1s may experience increased energy levels, better focus, and improved job performance. This can also have a large impact on reducing absenteeism and decreasing indirect costs from lost productivity due to specialist visits or illness.
Additionally, two-thirds of organizations that have decided to cover GLP-1s have experienced an increased health plan enrollment, which has translated to greater employee satisfaction.
Lower Healthcare Costs
It’s well-known that GLP-1 weight loss drugs are costly, and this can be a large barrier for both covering the medication and using it. The annual cost of GLP-1s per member can exceed $11,000. However, the larger impact GLP-1s have on improving overall health and reducing the risk of chronic conditions can make bearing the cost of GLP-1s worth it by reducing long-term costs for conditions that arise from obesity and the medications required to treat those conditions.
Positive Impact on Mental Health
Achieving weight loss goals by using GLP-1s has the potential to improve mental health, boost mood and self-esteem, and lead to an overall enhanced quality of life, which can significantly impact personal outlook. Additionally, managing chronic conditions and reducing the potential for expensive prescriptions and specialist visits can lead to financial relief.
Financial problems stemming from chronic conditions can have an impact on a person’s lifestyle, aspirations, employment, and, most notably, their stress levels. Approximately 60 percent of adults in the U.S. state that health concerns or health problems are a significant source of stress. Addressing the root of these problems by providing coverage for medications such as GLP-1s that address obesity, diabetes, and chronic conditions that result from both can have a large impact on employees’ mood and mental health.
How to Address Pharmacy Spend on GLP-1s and Other Medications
As beneficial as GLP-1 weight loss drugs are for employee health, the cost can be a deterrent to employer coverage. This is why programs such as Bluebook Rx™ are such a critical strategy for reducing costs. Bluebook Rx helps employers and members save by identifying overpriced treatments and recommending lower-cost alternatives. This extends to GLP-1s. A recent expansion to Bluebook Rx addresses the high cost of GLP-1s, providing a bundled solution that allows organizations and their employees to lower GLP-1 drug costs.
Employee Health vs. Managing Costs: You Don’t Have to Choose
Prioritizing employee health while managing costs is a delicate balancing act. With solutions like Healthcare Bluebook, now part of Vālenz® Health, and its pharmacy program, Bluebook Rx, you can invest in your employees’ health while helping manage costs for both them and your organization.
Learn how other companies have managed costs while prioritizing employee health in our Bluebook Rx case study.
