Obesity is a disease: That’s why 22% of employers are now covering weight loss drugs

More employers are becoming aware of the dangers of obesity among their employees and are opting to assist them with weight loss and weight management efforts. That is one significant finding of the 2022 “Employee Benefits Survey” recently released by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. The survey indicates that 22% of employers in the United States cover prescription drugs for weight loss, and 45% cover bariatric surgery. Additionally, 32% of organizations offer weight management programs. Overweight people are at a heightened risk of other chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and some cancers, according to Julie Stich, a certified employee benefits specialist and the International Foundation’s vice president of content.

“Although obesity is often misunderstood, the employer shift to covering prescription drugs for weight loss seems to be connected to a recognition that obesity is a disease that increases the risk for many more serious diseases and health conditions,” Stich told BenefitsPRO. “By providing coverage for weight loss prescription drugs, bariatric surgery, and other advanced therapies and weight management programs, employers can support employees earlier, preventing more costly medical events in the future.”

Indeed, according to the International Foundation, 25% of employers report that obesity has the largest impact on overall health care costs.

Related: Millennials face greater risk of obesity-related cancer than boomers

“Our recent survey work shows that employers are supporting weight loss/management programs, wellness competitions like walking or fitness challenges, health coaching, healthy food choices in vending machines, onsite fitness equipment, and nutrition counseling, among other wellness initiatives,” Stich said.

The survey also identifies other popular fitness and nutrition initiatives among both corporate and public/governmental employers. They include standing and walking workstations, ergonomic training and support, offsite fitness center or gym membership subsidies, and encouraging exercise or other activity during work breaks.

More findings on health- and wellness-related benefits

The International Foundation’s latest survey reflects the responses of more than 500 members of the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans and the International Society of Certified Employee Benefits Specialists. They were divided into corporate sector, public/governmental sector, and multiemployer sector categories.

In the corporate sector, nearly all (99%) respondents indicated their companies offer health care benefits, and 100% of respondents in the public sector offer health care benefits. The most commonly offered plan in both sectors is a preferred provider organization (76% for corporate and 85% for public).

Here are other key findings from the survey:

• Two-thirds (66%) of respondents in the corporate sector reported that their plans are fully or partially self-funded. Meanwhile, 77% of public employers completely or partially self-fund health care benefits.
• More than four in five employers (83%) offer a health care flexible spending account in the corporate sector, compared to 88% of employers in the public sector.
• Most or all employers in the corporate and public sectors offer dental benefits, with 87% of corporate employers and 92% of public sector employers providing preferred provider plans.
• The most popular additional health benefits offered by corporate and public-sector employers are mental health benefits (77% and 86%, respectively), chiropractic coverage (73% and 84%), contraception coverage (66% and 76%), and vision benefits (57% and 70%). Additionally, 60% of corporate employers offer autism-treatment benefits.
• Several employers in the corporate sector also offer multiple wellness-related benefits, including access to employee assistance programs (91%), flu-shot programs (61%), tobacco/smoking-cessation programs (48%), and health risk assessments/screenings (46%).

“Employee benefits remain a critical component of the relationship between employers and workers,” the survey notes. “Workplaces have undergone a monumental transformation in the last two years, largely fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Great Resignation. In recognition of the shifting attitudes toward remote work and employees’ desire for work-life balance, organizations are putting a greater emphasis on offerings such as flexible work options and independent care services and focusing less on at-work perks life coffee service or walking programs.”

The “Employee Benefits Survey: 2022 Results” can be purchased here.