More employers are requiring workers on GLP-1 medications to participate in nutrition and lifestyle coaching programs to manage costs associated with these drugs. Startups like Virta Health and Omada Health are experiencing significant growth in demand for their weight loss management programs.
Employers are increasingly requiring workers on GLP-1 medications to enroll in nutrition and lifestyle coaching programs. Virta Health, a startup specializing in this area, saw 60% revenue growth last year, exceeding $100 million, driven by the demand for its employer weight loss management program. Omada Health , another competitor, partnered with Cigna's Evernorth division on the EncircleRx program, which expanded fourfold to cover 8 million lives.
A few years ago, when Virta Health founder and CEO Sami Inkinen approached employers about using their nutrition-oriented digital diabetes program for obesity-related weight loss, most weren't interested. Now, more employers are embracing nutritional counseling and coaching as they struggle with rising costs for diabetes and weight loss drugs. Inkinen stated, 'Our goal is not to drive the maximum number of GLP-1 prescriptions, but we are the telemedicine company of choice for many employers to responsibly use these drugs, and then also get members off of these drugs and sustain the weight loss, nutritionally.' A year-old study by Virta found that patients in their nutrition counseling programs maintained weight loss a year after stopping GLP-1s. Inkinen says less than 10% of their weight loss enrollees use these popular drugs; most opt for nutrition counseling alone and still lose an average of 13% of their weight over a year. 'Quite frankly, despite the message that maybe the pharma companies are pushing, nobody really wants to be on these drugs forever, if you get the choice and the tools,' he said. Virta's demand for these services resulted in record 60% revenue growth in 2024, surpassing $100 million, according to Inkinen.
EMPLOYERS NUTRITION COUNSELING GLP-1 DRUGS VIRTA HEALTH OMADA HEALTH WEIGHT LOSS
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