The value of a broad medication toolkit in metabolic care

GLP-1 medications are rapidly changing the metabolic health landscape, and due to their efficacy and growing popularity, employees are turning to their employers for access. According to KFF, 43% of adults in the U.S. who have been diagnosed with diabetes have tried a GLP-1. However, of the respondents to this poll, 54% of those taking a GLP-1 said it was difficult to afford, thus making cost a continuous barrier to accessing this therapy.

Not only is cost a barrier to access, but GLP-1s are also not the best path of treatment for all patients. Research shows that for about 30% of patients GLP-1s don’t work, either because they are non-responders or they don’t tolerate the side effects. These challenges have led employers to grapple with the decision of whether or not to provide coverage.

As an employer, partnering with a solution provider with a broad medication toolkit offers an effective alternative that enables more accessible and affordable care for employees.

A broad medication toolkit, explained

A broad medication toolkit consists of non-GLP-1, also referred to as alternative anti-obesity medications (AOMs), and GLP-1 medications, which could be branded or compounded. Alternative AOMs, typically generics such as metformin, zonisamide, and topiramate, have demonstrated clinical efficacy in helping aid in weight loss. For example, according to a piece published in the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine, patients on metformin lost more than 5% of their body weight after one year.

Putting this into perspective, clinically significant weight loss is defined as a 5% reduction in weight from the baseline. Therefore, non-GLP-1 medications can help patients achieve sustainable weight loss cost-effectively.

Outcomes are impressive—even without GLP-1s

Found recently conducted a landmark study, peer-reviewed by industry leaders, that assessed weight loss outcomes of more than 66,000 members enrolled in our program. In this study, researchers found that fewer than 10% of members were prescribed GLP-1s, yet they showed notable results. That means meaningful weight loss is possible with other options.

These outcomes are achievable not only due to our broad medication toolkit, but also due to:

• Clinical approach: Our clinical approach, designed in collaboration with our Head of Medical Affairs, Rekha Kumar, MD, MS, former medical director for the American Board of Obesity Medicine, provides our members access to board-certified providers trained in obesity medicine.
• Personalized care: Our members receive a care plan tailored to their unique biology and lifestyle, powered by MetabolicPrint^TM, our proprietary metabolic health assessment.

When Found-affiliated providers prescribe medications, they can personalize treatment for eligible patients in 70+ different combinations. As the weight management and metabolic health landscape advances, alternative AOMs can empower employers to provide access to the critical care their employees may need to drive improved health while controlling costs.

Increasing access to care for employees while driving value for employers

Results from Found’s peer-reviewed study show that sustainable weight loss is achievable through non-GLP-1 medications. By taking full advantage of an expansive formulary, employers can provide access to specialized care without skyrocketing costs from GLP-1 utilization.

Additionally, employers who partner with Found can leverage our flexible program design that promotes a variety of cost-containment strategies:‍

• Selecting Found as the preferred network of prescribers: this measure streamlines the prescription of GLP-1s for weight loss by limiting the network of prescribers to only those providers affiliated with Found. If an employee tries to obtain a GLP-1 prescription from a non-affiliated provider—such as a PCP—the PBM would deny the script and then alert Found to properly guide the employee to our weight loss program, facilitating appropriate care.

• Ability to follow an employer's step therapy and PA protocols: Our Care Team can either adhere to an employer's existing protocols that may already be in place with their health plan or collaborate to establish them.

• Expanding access to care through compounded GLP-1s: Found-affiliated providers can prescribe this type of medication, which is associated with a significantly lower out-of-pocket cost for employees. Since insurance doesn't cover compounded GLP-1s, the cost is passed on to employees meaning that it would not impact an organization's P&L.

Found’s broad medication toolkit, coupled with clinical guidance from obesity medicine experts, personalized treatment plans, and cost-containment strategies enable employers to provide access to care in a way that is cost-effective and sustainable for them and their employees.

About Found

Found is one of the largest telehealth weight care providers in the U.S., having conducted over 1M clinical consults. Our mission is to help employers ignite a culture of employee wellness that prioritizes metabolic health by providing access to personalized care that transforms how obesity and diabetes are treated and managed.