More US employers to drop weight-loss drugs in 2027, as healthcare costs increase
LLY•Cancer remains the biggest cost driver
Employers surveyed ranged from those employing fewer than 5,000 to over 100,000 people.
By condition, cancer was the most frequently cited condition driving healthcare spending, with 70% of firms naming it as their most acute cost driver, up from 58% in 2025.
Musculoskeletal and cardiovascular conditions followed as top drivers for companies. Business Group on Health said treatments for the conditions involve more complex therapies.
Employers expect more cuts to GLP-1 coverage
About 14% of employers in the United States have already or plan to drop GLP-1 drugs in 2027, as companies see rising healthcare costs, according to a survey released on Tuesday by the Business Group on Health.
Healthcare costs are set to increase 9.2% if employers do not make changes to manage costs in 2027, up from 8.5% in 2026, the group said. Two-thirds of employers surveyed said they saw rising utilization of the drugs.
