{"id":34974,"date":"2026-03-11T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wellable.co\/blog\/?p=34974"},"modified":"2026-07-23T07:53:39","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T11:53:39","slug":"glp-1-coverage-recruitment-tool","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wellable.co\/blog\/glp-1-coverage-recruitment-tool\/","title":{"rendered":"GLP-1 Coverage as a Recruitment Tool"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nearly one third of employees say they would switch employers for GLP-1 coverage, signaling just how mainstream these drugs have become. In this week&#8217;s episode, Nick and Geoff unpack the cost implications for employers; how clinical support programs can help manage those costs and increase value from the investment; and how HR leaders should think about coverage decisions based on their company&#8217;s size, industry, and culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"video-embed\" style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;\">\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RZhLk_Xmxsc?si=YfzFP-Y6rsruqVxW\" title=\"GLP-1 Coverage as a Recruitment Tool\" style=\"position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0;\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\">\n  <\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"row justify-content-between\">\n<div class=\"cs-btn-light text-center mb-4 col-12 col-md-6 pr-md-4\">\n  <a class=\"cs-button d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center w-100\" href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/glp-1-coverage-as-a-recruitment-tool\/id1869414001?i=1000754621831\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"gap: 8px\">\n\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wellable.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Apple-Podcasts-logo.png\" alt=\"Apple podcast\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"h-auto\" style=\"width: 24px\">\n\n<span style=\"font-size: 20px\">Listen on Apple Podcasts<\/span>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"cs-btn-light text-center mb-4 col-12 col-md-6 pl-md-4\">\n  <a class=\"cs-button d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center gap-3 w-100\" href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/episode\/3X7XjkBQZ8b2E0hxlUbLw8?si=jwccPWAnSduCoH7T6Hy1BA\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"gap: 8px\">\n\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wellable.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Spotify_White_Logo.png\" alt=\"Apple podcast\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"h-auto pr\" style=\"width: 24px\">\n<span style=\"font-size: 20px\">Listen on Spotify<\/span>\n\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"border: 1px solid rgb(0 0 0 \/ 0.1); padding: 25px 25px 10px; border-radius: 8px; box-shadow: 0 4px 6px -1px rgb(0 0 0 \/ 0.1), 0 2px 4px -2px rgb(0 0 0 \/ 0.1);\">\n<h3 id=\"h-pressed-for-time-here-s-a-quick-summary\" class=\"wp-block-heading nitoc\">Pressed for time? Here\u2019s a quick summary\u2026<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Nearly one third of employees would switch employers for GLP-1 coverage, making it one of the first drug classes to factor meaningfully into recruitment and retention<\/li>\n<li>Nearly half of employees are already using third-party apps to find GLP-1 drugs at lower prices<\/li>\n<li>Adding GLP-1 coverage for weight loss could increase employer health insurance premiums by 5.3% to 13.8%<\/li>\n<li>51% of employers now cite GLP-1s as the top driver of prescription cost growth<\/li>\n<li>Clinical support and lifestyle management programs can serve as meaningful gatekeepers, helping manage costs while ensuring employees get the most out of the drug<\/li>\n<li>HR leaders should ground coverage decisions in a clear understanding of their company&#8217;s size, industry, and culture because the right benefits strategy looks very different depending on the company and value proposition they are offering employees<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"episode-summary\">Episode Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"glp-1-coverage-enters-the-recruitment-conversation\">GLP-1 Coverage Enters the Recruitment Conversation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A few weeks after their first GLP-1 episode of the year, Nick and Geoff are back on the topic, this time with a data point neither of them expected to see. NFP, the large US insurance broker now owned by Aon, releases an annual benefits report, and its 2026 edition found that nearly one third of employees would switch employers specifically to gain access to GLP-1 coverage. Historically, the benefits that show up on this kind of list are things like 401k contributions, flexible work arrangements, or remote work options. A named pharmaceutical drug class making the cut is new territory, and it signals just how mainstream GLP-1s have become in employees&#8217; minds when they think about where they want to work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Geoff frames it as part of a broader employee desire for enhanced support around financial and physical wellbeing, but notes that GLP-1 coverage is unusually specific: not just a category like weight management, but a particular class of drug. That specificity is what makes it a harder decision for employers to sit on the sidelines of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-cost-equation-why-glp-1s-are-different\">The Cost Equation: Why GLP-1s Are Different<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most emerging benefits that show up on employee wish lists are either policy changes with little hard cost, like flexible scheduling, or moderate expenses employers can absorb. GLP-1 coverage is neither. Nick points to two figures from the research that illustrate just how large the cost swing can be. The Employee Benefit Research Institute estimates that adding coverage for the weight-loss use case alone could increase an employer&#8217;s health insurance premiums by 5.3% to 13.8%. And in the same NFP\/Aon report, 51% of employers now say GLP-1s for diabetes and weight loss are the single biggest driver of their prescription drug spend, a figure that now exceeds what employers spend on oncology, autoimmune, and other historically expensive specialty treatments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prices are trending downward as competition increases. Novo Nordisk has recently cut prices, more direct-to-consumer options have entered the market, and additional pharmaceutical manufacturers are getting into the space. But today, GLP-1 coverage remains one of the most expensive line items an HR team can bring to leadership, and unlike many popular benefits, it&#8217;s a recurring cost employers should expect to carry indefinitely, not a one-time policy change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-access-vs-cost-debate-diabetes-and-obesity-coverage\">The Access-vs-Cost Debate: Diabetes and Obesity Coverage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even as costs climb, employee satisfaction with drug coverage is falling. That same NFP\/Aon report found satisfaction dropped from 73% to 66% year over year, and nearly half of employees say they&#8217;re using outside websites or apps to try to find lower prices on their own, outside of what their employer offers. The pain point, as Geoff puts it, is real on both sides: employers face rising costs, and employees face rising out-of-pocket burden regardless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A separate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ipsos.com\/sites\/default\/files\/ct\/news\/documents\/2026-03\/ipsos-global-perceptions-of-obesity-study-pr-2026.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ipsos survey<\/a>, released around World Obesity Day, adds a layer of nuance to the debate. Two-thirds of respondents still believe obesity is preventable through personal choices like diet and exercise, yet seven in ten also acknowledge obesity as a medical condition requiring ongoing management. That contradiction is playing out inside benefits strategy: many employers are drawing a line between the diabetes use case, the drug&#8217;s original and most clinically established application, and the broader, more contested obesity use case, and choosing to lead with coverage for the former while they figure out a sustainable approach to the latter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"barriers-to-entry-that-actually-add-value\">Barriers to Entry That Actually Add Value<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rather than treating access restrictions as purely punitive, Nick and Geoff discuss how thoughtfully designed barriers to entry can benefit both the employer and the employee. Aon, the report&#8217;s author, piloted a clinical support program for its own employees that paired GLP-1 access with structured requirements: biannual blood screenings and recurring telemedicine check-ins to track health improvements over time. About 9% of eligible employees enrolled, a lower rate than typical program participation, but one that ensures the employees who do enroll are getting more value out of the drug and the clinical support alongside it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The point isn&#8217;t to make coverage harder to reach for its own sake. It&#8217;s to build a structure where the employer&#8217;s investment and the employee&#8217;s health outcomes are more tightly linked, while naturally limiting cost by filtering out lower-commitment participants. Geoff notes this kind of measured approach avoids the worst-case scenario: promising broad coverage, watching costs spiral, and then having to claw it back once employees are already relying on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"know-your-company-sizing-up-your-competitive-position\">Know Your Company: Sizing Up Your Competitive Position<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nick closes with advice that applies well beyond GLP-1s: HR leaders need to understand exactly what they&#8217;re selling to candidates before deciding how to compete on any single benefit. Most emerging benefits start at the largest employers and trickle down over time, and GLP-1 coverage is following that same pattern. Mercer&#8217;s 2024 data found that 44% of employers with 500 or more employees offered coverage for obesity drugs, rising to 64% among employers with 20,000 or more employees. Smaller and mid-sized employers are naturally going to lag behind on a benefit this expensive, but that doesn&#8217;t mean it&#8217;s irrelevant to them; it means they&#8217;re competing on a different value proposition; things like greater autonomy, tighter-knit culture, or a more compelling mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Knowing your company, its size, its industry, and what genuinely draws people to work there is, in Nick&#8217;s view, more foundational than any single benefits decision. GLP-1 coverage is simply the newest and most expensive test case for that broader principle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"frequently-asked-questions\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n    <section class=\"faq-section\">\n      <div class=\"faq-accordion\">\n\n        \n        <div class=\"faq-item card card-faq\">\n          <button \n            class=\"faq-question\" \n            data-target=\"faq_1\"\n            type=\"button\"\n          >\n            Why are employees willing to switch jobs for GLP-1 coverage?            <span class=\"icon\"><\/span>\n          <\/button>\n\n          <div id=\"faq_1\" class=\"faq-answer\">\n            <p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\" data-sourcepos=\"63:1-63:405;8991-9395\">According to NFP\/Aon&#8217;s 2026 US Benefits Trend Report, nearly one third of employees say they would switch employers to gain access to GLP-1 coverage. It appears to be the first time a specific pharmaceutical drug class has emerged as a named driver of recruitment and retention decisions, reflecting how central these medications have become to employees&#8217; sense of overall health and financial wellbeing.<\/p>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <div class=\"faq-item card card-faq\">\n          <button \n            class=\"faq-question\" \n            data-target=\"faq_2\"\n            type=\"button\"\n          >\n            How much does GLP-1 coverage actually cost employers?            <span class=\"icon\"><\/span>\n          <\/button>\n\n          <div id=\"faq_2\" class=\"faq-answer\">\n            <p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\" data-sourcepos=\"67:1-67:363;9456-9818\">The Employee Benefit Research Institute estimates that adding GLP-1 coverage for weight loss alone could increase an employer&#8217;s health insurance premiums by 5.3% to 13.8%. Separately, 51% of employers now cite GLP-1s as the top driver of their overall prescription drug spend, a figure that now exceeds what employers spend on oncology and autoimmune treatments.<\/p>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <div class=\"faq-item card card-faq\">\n          <button \n            class=\"faq-question\" \n            data-target=\"faq_3\"\n            type=\"button\"\n          >\n            Why is satisfaction with GLP-1 coverage declining if demand is rising?            <span class=\"icon\"><\/span>\n          <\/button>\n\n          <div id=\"faq_3\" class=\"faq-answer\">\n            <p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\" data-sourcepos=\"71:1-71:372;9896-10267\">The same NFP\/Aon report found employee satisfaction with drug coverage dropped from 73% to 66% year over year, even as demand for GLP-1 access grows. Nearly half of employees say they&#8217;re turning to outside websites or apps to find lower prices themselves, suggesting that even where coverage exists, out-of-pocket costs and access friction remain significant pain points.<\/p>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <div class=\"faq-item card card-faq\">\n          <button \n            class=\"faq-question\" \n            data-target=\"faq_4\"\n            type=\"button\"\n          >\n            Should employers cover GLP-1s for diabetes, obesity, or both?            <span class=\"icon\"><\/span>\n          <\/button>\n\n          <div id=\"faq_4\" class=\"faq-answer\">\n            <p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\" data-sourcepos=\"75:1-75:449;10336-10784\">Many employers are choosing to lead with coverage for the diabetes use case, the drug&#8217;s original and most clinically established application, while taking a more cautious approach to the broader obesity use case. This mirrors a broader public tension identified in an Ipsos survey, where two-thirds of people believe obesity is preventable through personal choice, while seven in ten also see it as a medical condition requiring ongoing management.<\/p>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <div class=\"faq-item card card-faq\">\n          <button \n            class=\"faq-question\" \n            data-target=\"faq_5\"\n            type=\"button\"\n          >\n            What is a \"barrier to entry\" program, and does it deny employees access?            <span class=\"icon\"><\/span>\n          <\/button>\n\n          <div id=\"faq_5\" class=\"faq-answer\">\n            <p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\" data-sourcepos=\"79:1-79:390;10864-11253\">A barrier-to-entry program, like the clinical support pilot Aon ran internally, pairs GLP-1 access with requirements such as biannual blood screenings and regular telemedicine check-ins. Rather than denying access, it filters for employees more likely to get sustained value from the drug, and naturally limits cost since only about 9% of eligible employees in Aon&#8217;s pilot chose to enroll.<\/p>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        <div class=\"faq-item card card-faq\">\n          <button \n            class=\"faq-question\" \n            data-target=\"faq_6\"\n            type=\"button\"\n          >\n            Do smaller companies need to offer GLP-1 coverage to compete for talent?            <span class=\"icon\"><\/span>\n          <\/button>\n\n          <div id=\"faq_6\" class=\"faq-answer\">\n            <p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\" data-sourcepos=\"83:1-83:416;11333-11748\">Not necessarily at the same rate as larger employers. Mercer&#8217;s 2024 data found 44% of employers with 500 or more employees cover obesity drugs, rising to 64% among employers with 20,000 or more employees. Smaller employers typically compete on a different value proposition, such as culture, autonomy, or mission, and tend to adopt emerging benefits like this one later as costs come down and best practices mature.<\/p>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n      <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n\n    \n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"full-episode-transcript\"><strong style=\"color: transparent; visibility: hidden; opacity: 0;\">Full Episode Transcript<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n    <section class=\"faq-section toc-helper-accordion\">\n      <div class=\"faq-accordion\">\n\n        \n        <div class=\"custom-accordion-item\">\n          <button \n            class=\"faq-question\" \n            data-target=\"transcript_1\"\n            type=\"button\"\n          >\n            <h2 id=\"full-episode-transcript\"><strong>Full Episode Transcript<\/strong><\/h2>\n            <span class=\"icon\"><\/span>\n          <\/button>\n\n          <div id=\"transcript_1\" class=\"faq-answer\">\n            <p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\" data-sourcepos=\"87:1-87:225;11778-12002\"><strong>Nick:<\/strong> Welcome to the Wellable Weekly Podcast, where we talk about key topics and trends at the intersection of well-being, technology, and HR. I&#8217;m Nick, along with my good friend and co-host Geoff. Geoff, how&#8217;s it going?<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\" data-sourcepos=\"89:1-89:95;12004-12098\"><strong>Geoff:<\/strong> Going well, feeling good. A little underdressed though, you&#8217;re looking sharp today.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\" data-sourcepos=\"91:1-91:654;12100-12753\"><strong>Nick:<\/strong> Thank you. I always tell people if I&#8217;m wearing a tie, it&#8217;s either because I&#8217;m going to a happy occasion like a wedding, or I&#8217;m doing something I don&#8217;t really want to do. I&#8217;ve got a meeting right after this recording that requires me to dress up, so that&#8217;s what&#8217;s happening here. Do what it takes to get things done, right? So, a lot of news as always. I think a couple weeks ago we covered our first GLP-1 episode of the year, and we were both a little surprised it took that long, because if you&#8217;re in our world, you hear about GLP-1s constantly. No surprise we&#8217;re back with another GLP-1 topic, but from a bit of a different angle this time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\" data-sourcepos=\"93:1-93:646;12755-13400\">The data point comes from an NFP research report. NFP is a large health insurance broker here in the US, recently acquired by Aon, another large broker. They release an annual report called the 2026 US Benefits Trend Report, and it&#8217;s worth checking out. One stat that stuck out to both of us: nearly one third of employees said they would switch employers to gain access to GLP-1 coverage. That&#8217;s notable because you don&#8217;t typically see a specific pharmaceutical drug show up on this kind of list. You hear about gym reimbursements, flexible time, remote work, but I don&#8217;t think I&#8217;ve ever seen a drug make the cut as a named driver of retention.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\" data-sourcepos=\"95:1-95:667;13402-14068\"><strong>Geoff:<\/strong> Right, and I think if anything, you&#8217;d expect a broader desire for enhanced coverage of financial wellbeing, something like a 401k match, or mental health support. But something this specific, not just a general category like weight management, but a particular drug class, really reflects how mainstream this has become. And it&#8217;s forcing employers&#8217; hands on how they&#8217;re going to handle it. Cost is a huge factor in that decision, not just what it means for premiums year over year, but the longer-term cost, because this isn&#8217;t a one-and-done decision. Given the trajectory of these drugs, once you start covering them, those costs are likely here to stay.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\" data-sourcepos=\"97:1-97:496;14070-14565\"><strong>Nick:<\/strong> That&#8217;s the key, it&#8217;s a truly recurring expense as it exists today. The one caveat is that this is such new technology, and so much is still shifting on the supply side, the cost side, and who&#8217;s competing in the market. Right now it&#8217;s viewed as a drug people stay on indefinitely, but there are a growing number of programs trying to create a path for people to see benefits over a defined period and eventually come off the medication. Whether those prove effective remains to be seen.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\" data-sourcepos=\"99:1-99:771;14567-15337\">Two stats stood out to me on cost specifically. The Employee Benefit Research Institute estimates that adding GLP-1 coverage for weight loss could increase an employer&#8217;s health insurance premiums anywhere from 5.3% to 13.8%. So just by adding this one benefit, you could be pushing your premium growth into the teens, and that&#8217;s before factoring in normal healthcare inflation. At the same time, that same NFP report found that 51% of employers now cite GLP-1s for diabetes and weight loss as the top driver of their prescription drug spend. To put that in perspective, historically the biggest drivers of pharmacy cost have been things like oncology and autoimmune treatments. Now it&#8217;s a drug with genuinely broad appeal across a large share of the employee population.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\" data-sourcepos=\"101:1-101:502;15339-15840\"><strong>Geoff:<\/strong> Exactly, and I think that&#8217;s the reality for employers: there&#8217;s enormous demand, and a direct correlation between health, satisfaction, and this coverage decision. That same report found employee satisfaction with drug coverage dropping from 73% to 66% year over year, with nearly half of employees now using outside websites or apps to try to find these drugs at lower prices. So the pain point is real on the employee side too; access is difficult and out-of-pocket costs are unattractive.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\" data-sourcepos=\"103:1-103:571;15842-16412\">But this comes back to the conversation we had a few weeks ago about how employers actually approach coverage. There&#8217;s the diabetes use case, the original intended use with the strongest clinical support, and then the much broader obesity use case. More employers are drawing a line and covering diabetes first. Supporting programs, like lifestyle management, could be one way to expand into the obesity use case more sustainably, especially since there isn&#8217;t yet a clear off-ramp for employees who start these drugs and need them to sustain the changes they&#8217;re seeking.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\" data-sourcepos=\"105:1-105:538;16414-16951\">There&#8217;s also a separate Ipsos report, released around World Obesity Day, that gets at a related tension. Two-thirds of people still believe obesity is preventable through personal choice, like diet and exercise, but seven in ten also acknowledge it&#8217;s a medical condition requiring ongoing management. So there&#8217;s this constant push and pull: is this something that requires ongoing pharmaceutical management, or is it more about willpower and habit? It&#8217;s a bigger societal question, but a lot of it is landing on employers to make a call.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\" data-sourcepos=\"107:1-107:498;16953-17450\"><strong>Nick:<\/strong> So the question becomes, what do you actually do with this data if you&#8217;re in HR? One third of employees considering this in hiring decisions isn&#8217;t a majority, but it&#8217;s a material number. I think the first move is addressing access directly. Do you limit coverage by use case, starting with diabetes? Do you build in barriers to entry? And I&#8217;d push back a little on the idea that barriers to entry are inherently negative. Done well, they can add real value while still limiting adoption.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\" data-sourcepos=\"109:1-109:1038;17452-18489\">The example Geoff mentioned, tying coverage to a clinical support or lifestyle management program, is a good one. If there&#8217;s a hurdle, fewer people will pursue it, which naturally saves money. But in this case, the hurdle is meaningful in its own right. Aon, the report&#8217;s author, piloted exactly this with their own employees: biannual blood screenings to track improving biomarkers, plus regular telemedicine check-ins on overall health. That kind of structure is enough to deter some people from enrolling, but it also ensures that the employer and the employee are both getting real value out of the investment. Roughly 9% of eligible employees ultimately enrolled, well below typical participation for straightforward drug coverage. The goal isn&#8217;t to block people from getting support; it&#8217;s to be thoughtful about how you scale access to something this in-demand, and this costly, in a way that&#8217;s sustainable. Nobody wants to offer coverage, watch costs spike, and then have to pull it back once employees are already counting on it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\" data-sourcepos=\"111:1-111:662;18491-19152\">There&#8217;s one more point worth ending on, and I think it applies well beyond GLP-1s: know your company. Know what you&#8217;re actually selling to candidates. A ten-person startup is pitching something completely different than a ten-thousand-person manufacturing company, even if they&#8217;re hiring for similar roles. Most emerging benefits start at the largest employers and work their way down. There&#8217;s a Mercer report from 2024, so the numbers are likely conservative now, showing that 44% of large employers, defined as 500 or more employees, offered coverage for obesity drugs including GLP-1s. Among employers with 20,000 or more employees, that number jumps to 64%.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\" data-sourcepos=\"113:1-113:702;19154-19855\">As you move down in company size, that coverage rate drops, but it doesn&#8217;t go to zero, and smaller companies are usually competing on something different anyway: greater autonomy, a tighter culture, more individual influence. If you&#8217;re an HR leader, the starting point is understanding what kind of company you are and why someone should want to work there. Sometimes it&#8217;s the industry itself; here at Wellable, nearly everyone who applies has some personal connection to health and wellness. That&#8217;s a very different pitch than a company selling a commodity product. Knowing yourself as an organization is probably the most important input into how you think about a specific data point like this one.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\" data-sourcepos=\"115:1-115:286;19857-20142\"><strong>Geoff:<\/strong> Great point, and a good one to end on. Thanks as always for listening. You can catch the latest Wellable Weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts, and be sure to subscribe to the Wellable Weekly newsletter for all the latest insights. Thanks all.<\/p>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n      <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n\n    \n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wellable Weekly breaks down why nearly one third of employees would switch jobs for GLP-1 coverage, what it actually costs employers, and how companies are managing access without cutting people off.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34976,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34974","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-podcasts"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v20.6 (Yoast SEO v27.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>GLP-1 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