GLP-1s: Headlines vs. Hard Truths

It’s hard to think of a drug class that generated more buzz in 2025 than GLP-1s. Much of the news coverage has emphasized soaring public demand, rising cost projections for employer spend and shifting benefit coverage decisions. 

While the spotlight accurately captured the scale of GLP-1 growth, it overlooked important utilization dynamics, variations across employee populations and the role GLP-1 spend plays in the overall pharmacy trend. And without full visibility into the GLP-1 story, employers are left making decisions based on broad market narratives rather than their own health plan realities.  

Drawing from our 2025 Drug Trend Report, we break down what the headlines get right, what they miss and what employers need to know to manage GLP-1 costs more effectively.

Why GLP-1s Are Commanding Attention

GLP-1s have become a major focus in health care, because of their role in treating diabetes, obesity and related comorbidities. However, their rise in the headlines is not driven by clinical interest alone.  

The attention stems from a combination of rapid growth in demand, high unit costs and a meaningful impact on a plan’s bottom line. A one-month supply of leading brand-name GLP-1 medications, such as Wegovy or Ozempic, can cost approximately $499, adding up to thousands of dollars per member each year.¹ 

At the same time, a growing number of direct-to-consumer (DTC) platforms have added to that momentum by increasing visibility and creating new pathways outside traditional pharmacy benefit channels. For plan sponsors, that creates a difficult challenge of balancing access, member expectations and cost control. 

Given this reality, it’s no surprise that headlines have focused heavily on financial pressure. But cost alone does not fully capture the impact of GLP-1s. What’s often missing is the broader context behind that pressure and what it means for plan sponsors. 

The Part of the GLP-1 Story You Aren’t Seeing

While GLP-1s continue to put pressure on budgets, their impact on pharmacy trend depends on more than demand or unit cost. Utilization, prescribing patterns, duration of therapy and coverage decisions all shape how costs build over time. These dynamics also help explain why employer experiences can vary so widely. Two organizations may cover the same therapy yet see very different outcomes based on how their pharmacy benefit is structured and managed. 

To manage this category effectively, employers need a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) partner that can bring transparency, clinical discipline and cost control to a category that can quickly reshape overall trend if left unmanaged.  

Our 2025 Drug Trend Report demonstrates the value of active category management. In 2025, the overall Navitus drug trend was 8.4%, but 7.9% without GLP-1s — a far narrower gap than in 2024, when drug trend was 7% overall and 5.9% without GLP-1s. Improved contracting and strict utilization management helped temper GLP-1 cost acceleration. 

Turning Insight into Action

When decisions are driven by headlines, benefit strategy becomes reactive. Cost projections become skewed, and opportunities to manage trend often come too late.  

Fortunately, a transparent PBM partner, like Navitus, can help turn noise into actionable clarity. By providing data-driven insights into what is driving utilization, where cost pressure is building and how coverage decisions are performing, Navitus helps plan sponsors anticipate trends rather than respond to them.  

That level of clarity is especially important with GLP-1s, where sustainable management depends on balancing clinical oversight with financial transparency. When both are in place, employers are better positioned to support access while protecting long-term affordability. 

What You Should Watch Next With GLP-1s

GLP-1 therapies will remain a dominant cost and utilization driver, as additional indications, new formulations and broader prescriber adoption fuel continued growth. As the category evolves, employers should closely monitor key signals:  

• Changes in utilization rates – Employers should track how GLP-1 utilization changes over time, including new starts, continuation rates and prescribing patterns. These trends can indicate whether current benefit controls are keeping pace with demand. 
• GLP-1 share of total pharmacy spend – Comparing GLP-1 trend against other high-cost categories can help plan sponsors evaluate whether this category is becoming a disproportionate driver of overall pharmacy spend. It can also help determine if further adjustments to formulary strategy, utilization management or benefit design are necessary. 
• New opportunities for cost management – As DTC pricing and off-benefit access models gain traction, some GLP-1 utilization may occur outside traditional pharmacy benefit channels. For employers, this creates a need for more flexible strategies that can support access while maintaining visibility and cost control. Programs, such as DirectAccess from Navitus, offer plan sponsors flexible, off-benefit solutions for balancing GLP-1 access and affordability. 

To sum it up, the next era of GLP-1 management will require even sharper insights, faster action and a PBM partner that delivers clarity, innovation and expertise. Navitus is committed to helping employers see patterns, before they become budget surprises, and act with greater clarity and control. 

GLP-1s are only part of the pharmacy trend story 

References

1. Cotter, Lynne, et al. “Perspectives from Employers on the Costs and Issues Associated with Covering GLP-1 Agonists for Weight Loss.” Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker, www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/perspectives-from-employers-on-the-costs-and-issues-associated-with-covering-glp-1-agonists-for-weight-loss/. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.