In this panel, HR and benefits leaders will explore how investing in evidence-based, inclusive weight management solutions can improve employee well-being, reduce absenteeism, cut healthcare costs, and enhance morale. From medical interventions to behavioral support, the panel will examine how a holistic approach benefits both employees and the organization.
Key takeaways:
- The ROI of weight management: reduced healthcare claims and improved productivity
- Integrating GLP-1s with nutrition, coaching, and fitness programs
- Addressing stigma while building a more inclusive, supportive culture
- Why comprehensive wellness benefits are a competitive edge in today's talent market
Transcription:
Transcripts are generated using a combination of speech recognition software and human transcribers, and may contain errors. Please check the corresponding audio for the authoritative record.
Alyssa Place (00:16):
So I wanted to ask you about those next-gen benefits that benefit managers and other HR leaders should really be thinking about for 2026 when it comes to supporting employee wellness and wellbeing.
Gary Douville (00:28):
Yeah, it's such a great question. We believe a focus on preventative care and cost containment are both increasingly top priorities looking into next year and beyond. We know, and the data shows this, that companies with strong wellness programs report higher productivity, lower turnover, and overall reduction in healthcare costs. We at Revive are offering something that is different from the more fragmented vendor stacks that promote reactive care, instead providing a unified end-to-end whole-person care platform that encourages measurable preventative care. And it is increasingly our view that moving beyond single point solutions and towards integrated ecosystems that connect all of these pieces—physical wellbeing, mental wellbeing, pharmaceutical needs, and social health—under one single umbrella, is simply the most cost-efficient and most clinically effective way forward.
Alyssa Place (01:39):
And when you look at Revive, you're obviously a technology-powered platform. So what are some of the ways that technology can facilitate healthcare delivery and contain some of those rising costs while also promoting accessibility for more employees to manage their health in a preventative way?
Gary Douville (01:56):
I love this question, Melissa. I see technology acting as the connective tissue between care teams, pharmacists, providers, and members and patients.
Alyssa Place (02:22):
Good afternoon everyone, and welcome to today's discussion on one of the most talked-about topics in employee health: weight management and the growing role of GLP-1s in the workplace. I'm Alyssa Place, Editor-in-Chief of Employee Benefit News. We know that obesity and being overweight affect a huge portion of the workforce, and it impacts everything from healthcare costs to overall employee wellbeing. But what's really changing is how employers are responding. More organizations are taking a holistic, evidence-based approach, combining GLP-1s with coaching, nutrition, and lifestyle support to help employees see real and lasting results. Today, we're going to look at what that approach looks like in action, from the clinical side to the culture and financial impact. I'm joined today by a group of four experts. We have Shawn Behrens, Director of Benefits and Compensation at American Seafoods Group; Lindsey Garrito, Assistant Vice President of Total Rewards at Montefiore Einstein; Ilana Mauskopf, Senior Director of People and Talent Operations at Nava Benefits; and Sarah Neese, Employee Wellbeing Manager at Lumen Technologies.
(03:25):
Thank you all for joining us. We certainly have a very stacked panel today, so a lot to get through. I wanted to start by level-setting a little bit and hear how each of you are currently covering or not covering GLP-1s and the weight support benefits on offer today. So Lindsey, why don't we kick it off with you, if you could just share a brief overview of what you're offering to employees today.
Lindsey Garito (03:57):
Absolutely. So we are a large healthcare system. I support about 24,000 employees, and we do take a very comprehensive and holistic approach to all aspects of wellbeing, including physical and weight health. We cover GLP-1 medications for both diabetes and weight loss. We have recently supported that with a program to support the behavior and lifestyle change that is often needed to accompany those who are taking those medications. We also offer a wide range of nutrition and fitness resources. We offer private one-on-one nutrition counseling with a registered dietician and weight management group support run periodically throughout the year for those looking for community support. Those are all run internally. We also offer a variety of fitness center discounts and on-demand classes.
(05:07):
We have a healthcare population. Time is usually a challenge for them as they're often working long hours caring for others. So we want to make sure there's a variety of resources available. If they want to go to the gym down the street, they can do that, or if they prefer to do a video at home, we have that option for them as well.
Alyssa Place (05:32):
Great. Very robust. Who wants to follow that up?
Sarah Neese (05:37):
I can follow that up. Lumen Technologies is a very large telecom organization, and our employees are spread out all over the globe, but the majority are in the US. We have a wide range of different job functions. Anyone could be in a different moment in life at any given time, and everyone's experience is different. We do cover GLP-1s under our medical plans, but we manage that access pretty heavily. Similar to Lindsey, we offer a wide range of weight management programs and lifestyle behavior programs at no cost to our employees, spouses, and domestic partners. We know that support is important, not just for the employee, but also for their families. Also like Lindsey, we offer dietician counseling.
(06:46):
We have an onsite clinic in Monroe, Louisiana. We offer mental health support because we want to support our employees holistically and focus on the person and the stage they are in their life, supporting them all along the journey.
Alyssa Place (07:14):
That's great. I love that mental health piece. Ilana, why don't you go ahead.
Ilana Mauskopf (07:20):
Sure. Nava Benefits is a benefits brokerage. We're about 140 employees, so I can speak to what we're seeing for some of our clients and represent smaller employers. We are a startup on a budget, so we can't offer GLP-1s for weight loss, but we try to get creative to tackle weight loss from different angles. We have a plan with a generous HSA contribution that folks can use towards medications. We offer discounted gym memberships through WellHub and an annual wellness credit that folks can use towards gym equipment or medicine costs. We also offer nutrition consultations and work with our carriers on wellness checks where folks can get money back. We also try to embed it in our culture. We have a "water cooler walk and talk" channel where people talk about their under-desk exercise equipment; you'll see people in meetings on walking pads.
Alyssa Place (08:23):
That's so great. And Shawn, certainly last but not least.
Shawn Behrens (08:27):
At American Seafoods, we have a non-traditional workforce. When the seasons are open, we can have up to about 650 people working on our vessels in the middle of the Bering Sea, so I don't have access to them. In our office and warehouse, we have about 120 employees. We made the decision last year to just cover GLP-1s. The basis for that was that we covered bariatric surgery and found those benefits were not being used as heavily. We wanted to support our employees in their weight loss journey.
(09:23):
About 5% of our adult population are taking GLP-1s now. Because we're smaller, I have a lot more contact with those employees. Some are doing extremely well, maintaining weight loss, and are very happy. When we made the announcement, it was extremely positively received. But the question we have now is how we are going to continue with this. Do we want to hire an outside group to help manage it? Some people get them from their doctor and that's it; others see a bariatric specialist, see a dietician, and have monthly check-ins. We have left that up to the employee as to how much they want to engage.
Alyssa Place (10:35):
It's so interesting to hear from all of you because you're serving different populations. I want to talk about recent news around GLP-1s. There was an announcement that the Trump administration worked on agreements with manufacturers that are going to drop the price to potentially around $150 per month. How might that impact your approach in 2026?
Shawn Behrens (11:26):
Regardless if the price comes down or not, we would still implement a guided program to help provide more structure because we're looking for information on whether someone who has met their weight loss goal should continue medication. We just don't have that information yet. It's welcome if the price comes down, but I'll believe it when I see it on the bottom line.
Ilana Mauskopf (12:10):
It seems to impact primarily government programs and direct-to-consumer channels, so it will be interesting to see how it impacts the employer side. There's going to be increasing pressure on insurers and employers to expand coverage. For those who can't, easier access through direct-to-consumer methods means things like wellness stipends and HSAs are going to be even more important.
Sarah Neese (12:44):
I'm not sure how this will impact our 2026 strategy, but we'll monitor it. We have closely tied in our requirements in order to receive a GLP-1. We've changed some requirements due to increasing costs, but to offset that, we have made enhancements to other programs, increasing wellness incentives and reimbursements for preventative care visits and weight management programs. While we had to make changes to GLP-1 coverage, we want to support lifestyle behavior and building healthy habits for long-term success.
Lindsey Garito (14:09):
I think it signals this isn't going anywhere. This landscape is evolving fast and is going to be something we all spend time on for likely the next couple of years. It sparked a need for us to look at our utilization and data more frequently. We used to do reviews once or twice a year, but now we're looking at this at least quarterly to monitor trends.
Alyssa Place (15:04):
Sarah, I wanted to follow up. You mentioned rethinking the way you're providing this benefit. What was some of the employee feedback when you made that change?
Sarah Neese (15:36):
Like Lindsey mentioned, the cost came upon us quickly. We tightened our prior authorization and added program participation requirements. We want to emphasize that pairing medication with behavioral support improves outcomes. We primarily made an adjustment to GLP-1 coverage as it relates specifically to weight loss without an underlying condition. However, we offer many programs to support those with chronic conditions so they can use the GLP-1 as a tool for long-term success.
Alyssa Place (17:09):
Shawn, do you think that's a road you will move down?
Shawn Behrens (17:15):
We're not at that point yet. You have to pass prior authorization, but I'm concerned because I've seen treatments like this come and go over three decades. Early on everybody had TMJ, then carpal tunnel, then antidepressants were eight of my top 10 items. I'm still holding out great hope that with reduced costs and behavioral changes, it will be impactful. But since we're a smaller organization, our reach isn't as broad.
Alyssa Place (18:23):
So many of you are talking about behavioral change as a lifestyle. Why is it better to have a comprehensive strategy in place rather than a single point solution?
Lindsey Garito (18:57):
Because our health is integrated. When we think about nutrition, there's a mental health piece and a financial piece. Nutrition can be impacted by a person's financial situation. That's why it's important for support to be well-rounded, ensuring people have access to education and a coach to understand other factors impacting their health.
Alyssa Place (19:58):
Ilana, why is being creative with solutions a winning strategy for you?
Ilana Mauskopf (20:10):
We put a bigger focus on preventative design. What can we do to keep people healthy and integrate health into their day-to-day lives? We have a channel where everyone shares health goals or asks for nutrition advice. Creating a culture where people can talk about their health journeys and integrate that into their work from home is key.
Alyssa Place (21:04):
What successes have you seen—financial or otherwise—when taking this approach?
Lindsey Garito (21:30):
We're seeing it a bit in our claims, which signals changes in the health of our members. While it's early, we'll monitor this over the next 12 months. Having a program in place helps members manage their treatment, reduces waste, and ensures they aren't taking medications that don't work for them through a collaborative approach.
Sarah Neese (22:43):
At Lumen, we've had robust wellbeing programs long before GLP-1s. We've had employees share testimonials of how they lost well over a hundred pounds through these programs. It reinforces that we are doing something good for the people we serve. I don't know that we've seen a significant impact on claims yet specifically from GLP-1 coverage, but it's on the horizon. We want to encourage the use of these medications alongside our existing programs so that when folks go off medication, they can maintain success.
Ilana Mauskopf (24:38):
Claims data is a great indicator, but we also do an employee benefits survey every year. A couple of years ago, folks wanted more benefits around wellbeing and gym access. Now that we've implemented those, trends are changing. Hearing that we've satisfied those needs is a great way to get data on value.
Alyssa Place (25:17):
Regarding data, what's at the top of your list right now to help you make decisions?
Shawn Behrens (25:39):
After 18 months, we found a wide range in cost depending on the pharmacy, with swings up to 20%. We're reaching out to our PBM to see if we can require people to fill prescriptions in specific places. We also found that utilization for weight loss vs. diabetes is about the same. We even had one person seek it for weight loss and find out they were Type 2, so the early detection was invaluable.
Lindsey Garito (27:32):
A key starting point is working with your PBM on utilization reporting. We look at it on a quarterly basis to see correlations. For example, we saw one medication increase by over 200%. We also saw that over 50% of those taking GLP-1s were first-time users, which is why we put a support program in place.
Alyssa Place (28:49):
Shawn, do you see employer support for weight loss as a passing trend or something with staying power?
Shawn Behrens (29:20):
It's definitely a trend, but I don't think it's a "shooting star." It will always be here. I have hope these medications will improve, but as we've discussed, there needs to be behavioral change. Weight loss is always going to be a challenge for any population.
Sarah Neese (30:31):
I agree. There is much more talk of them now, but I don't see it going away because of the success people are having. It's a tool to increase self-efficacy. Behavior change is one of the hardest things anyone can do, and the more we learn about their impact on other chronic health issues, the better the management will get.
Ilana Mauskopf (31:58):
It's interesting to see the cultural shifts. It has become more acceptable to talk about weight loss. Research forecasts the GLP-1 market will exceed $100 billion by 2030, driven equally by diabetes and obesity. I don't think this is going anywhere.
Alyssa Place (32:59):
We have a couple of questions from our audience. One asks: "Implementing stringent requirements for weight loss risks losing RX rebates. Have you experienced that?"
Shawn Behrens (33:18):
No, we haven't.
Alyssa Place (33:23):
And what are your considerations on the long-term usage of these drugs?
Sarah Neese (33:53):
It varies per individual based on underlying conditions and the amount of weight to be lost. I've consulted with providers like WonderHealth, and there isn't a blanket answer. Having parameters that allow for long-term or short-term access is essential for reaching goals.
Alyssa Place (35:18):
Thank you all for your insights. This is a complex topic we'll likely be talking about next year too. We'll take a 5–10 minute break. The next session starts at 2:25. Thanks.