CenterWell Pharmacy announced that it will dispense Eli Lilly's obesity drugs within employer weight management programs.
The pharmacy, which is a division of Humana, will work with third parties that administer these programs to provide the drugs within employer carve-out programs. The company said Monday that the new initiative underscores CenterWell Pharmacy's push to work more closely with employers.
Third-party organizations will build transparent, flexible solutions for employers, while CenterWell will coordinate fulfillment and delivery of Lilly's weight management products when appropriate.
Bethanie Stein, president of pharmacy at Humana, said in the announcement that the company is "pleased to play an important role in standing up a more sustainable approach to distributing valuable weight loss medications.”
“We’ve already seen success in expanding access to obesity management medications through direct-to-patient distribution at more affordable price points,” Stein said. "But there is an even larger opportunity for our health care system in making these medications available through forward-thinking employer-based programs."
Obesity and related conditions, like diabetes, are major cost drivers for employers, especially as GLP-1s and other therapies that can support weight loss and condition management escalate in demand and price.
Medical costs for employers are growing rapidly, with a recent report from the Business Group on Health estimating that costs will rise by 9% in 2026. The demand for GLP-1s is a key contributor to this trend, the survey found.
Kevin Hern, senior vice president for Lilly Employer at Lilly USA, said in the announcement that the drugmaker hears these frustrations loud and clear and is actively seeking partners like CenterWell Pharmacy to address access and cost for its products.
"Employers continue to tell us they want to better support their employees’ health but face real challenges in providing coverage for obesity management medicines,” Hern said.