Telehealth companies are increasingly hired by employers to manage obesity drug costs, but patients and doctors report barriers to care. - David Davis, a power plant worker in Aptos, California, was required to use Vida Health to get Zepbound for sleep apnea, but was pushed to try unapproved generics first.
- Telehealth firms like Omada Health have seen membership grow 51% as they pivot to GLP-1 management. - Critics say these companies practice utilization management under the guise of lifestyle intervention, aiming to get patients off drugs.
- Doctors warn that stopping obesity medications leads to rapid weight regain, citing a systematic review in The BMJ. The situation highlights a conflict between employer cost control and patient health outcomes.