Eli Lilly announced the launch of Lilly Employer Connect on March 5, 2026, a platform enabling employers to offer Zepbound and other obesity medications outside traditional insurance channels4
The platform partners with over 15 independent program administrators including GoodRx, Teladoc Health, Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, and others to provide flexible coverage options24
Approximately 55% of US employers cover GLP-1 medicines for type 2 diabetes, and 36% cover them for both diabetes and weight loss, leaving roughly half of commercially insured employees without obesity medication coverage14
Lilly set a fixed price of $449 per month for Zepbound across all doses, with employers able to design individually tailored benefit plans to reduce employee out-of-pocket costs3
The program allows employers to bundle medication access with in-person or virtual clinical care, behavior-change support, and access to nationwide pharmacy networks1
This direct-to-employer model enables Lilly to bypass traditional pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and compete with telehealth providers offering compounded GLP-1 alternatives3
According to Lilly, obesity affects over 100 million American adults and costs the US economy more than $1.7 trillion annually4
Sources:
1. https://pharmaphorum.com/news/lilly-unveils-employer-scheme-weight-loss-drug-zepbound
2. https://medcitynews.com/2026/03/lilly-employers-glp1s/
3. https://www.biopharmadive.com/news/lilly-employer-direct-glp1-obesity-drugs-zepbound/813891/
4. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lilly-employer-connect-platform-launches-with-over-fifteen-independent-program-administrators-offering-tailored-obesity-coverage-options-to-expand-access-to-patients-302704718.html