Humana’s CenterWell Pharmacy will dispense Eli Lilly obesity medications under a new program targeting employers, according to a Jan. 12 news release.
The pharmacy will serve those in employer plan-sponsored carve-out programs. Humana Pharmacy Segment President Bethanie Stein, PharmD, said there is untapped opportunity for “forward-thinking employer-based programs” that embrace these medications.
“We’ve already seen success in expanding access to obesity management medications through direct-to-patient distribution at more affordable price points,” she said. “We at CenterWell Pharmacy are pleased to play an important role in standing up a more sustainable approach to distributing valuable weight-loss medications.”
Eli Lilly previously shared plans to launch a direct-to-employer GLP-1 model this year.
“Employers continue to tell us they want to better support their employees’ health but face real challenges in providing coverage for obesity management medicines,” Lilly Employer Senior Vice President Kevin Hern at Lilly USA said of the CenterWell collaboration. “We’re excited to work with organizations that share our commitment to removing friction and providing flexible, transparent solutions for employers to help expand access to obesity management medicines for people who need them.”
Humana has been leaning into its weight-loss medication strategy. The latest move follows the insurer deepening its GLP-1 partnership with Novo Nordisk, boosting access to Wegovy via direct-to-patient delivery through a subscription service and telehealth services. In June, Novo Nordisk transitioned away from its partnership with Hims & Hers due to concerns over marketing an unauthorized version of semaglutide.
