Firms Reduce Access to Weight-Loss Drugs as Costs Mount

Why Employers Are Pulling Back

After years of strong growth, the obesity drug market is now slowing as businesses and health insurers cut back on coverage, signaling a more cautious phase.

Brian Evanko, Cigna's CEO, said, "Cigna has stopped covering Wegovy and Zepbound for its own employees because of the cost." An increasing number of large employers are adopting similar measures.

Pharmaceutical companies are exploring various approaches to address the shortfall, such as conducting trials to demonstrate that these medications offer advantages beyond weight reduction, potentially increasing their appeal to insurance providers. However, businesses and insurance companies have strongly criticized the expense of providing these drugs over extended periods, causing some health plans to eliminate coverage or impose stricter access requirements for obesity treatments.

This dynamic reflects a broader struggle between short-term budget constraints and potential long-term health savings. Drugmakers are seeking to prove that these medications reduce overall medical costs by preventing related conditions, while insurers and employers demand more concrete evidence before committing to expensive coverage.

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What the Numbers Show

A Mercer survey found that approximately 6% of large employers had discontinued coverage for weight-loss medications by 2026. An additional 5 percent indicated they intend to end coverage in 2027.

Cigna CFO Ann Dennison stated that the company anticipates the deceleration in prescription growth for GLP-1 medications, including Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Zepbound, will persist through the rest of the year.

The decisions by employers and insurers come amid a broader debate about the long-term value of GLP-1 drugs. While these medications have shown significant benefits for weight loss and related conditions, their high list prices - often exceeding $1,000 per month - make them a major cost driver for health plans. Drugmakers like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have faced pressure to justify the expense, and some have introduced patient assistance programs and employer discounts to maintain access. However, without clearer evidence that the drugs reduce overall healthcare spending, many companies remain hesitant to expand coverage.

What It Means for Your Portfolio

The remarks made by Cigna leaders regarding GLP-1 medication coverage and usage pertain to health plans that utilize the company's pharmacy benefit manager, Express Scripts.

Both Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk currently provide substantial price reductions for patients who pay for the drugs themselves. Additionally, Lilly has introduced a recent initiative targeting specific employers, enabling them to obtain the medications at reduced rates.

Evanko stated, "Should drug manufacturers decide to meaningfully discount the net prices they offer, we may revisit this in the future."

The current pullback highlights the broader debate over how to manage the high upfront costs of these treatments against potential long-term health savings. Drugmakers continue to push for wider acceptance through additional clinical trials, while employers and insurers wait for clearer evidence of cost-effectiveness before expanding coverage again.

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