science
Employers Route Obesity Drug Access Through Telehealth Firms That Add Extra Requirements
Workers report being steered to telehealth providers that require additional steps before approving GLP-1 prescriptions, even when primary care doctors have already prescribed the drugs.
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David Davis, a 57-year-old power plant worker near Santa Cruz, California, received a Zepbound prescription from his primary care doctor in December 2025 to treat obstructive sleep apnea. His employer then required him to obtain a new prescription through Vida Health before the drug could be filled. Davis completed blood work, questionnaires and video visits with a Vida Health nurse.
The nurse said he was a good candidate for Zepbound but required him to try naltrexone and bupropion first, neither of which is approved for obstructive sleep apnea. Davis decided instead to pay out-of-pocket for a compounded version of the drug from an online pharmacy.
Vida Health stated that its providers adhere to clinical eligibility criteria and plan sponsors' coverage policies when prescribing medication.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, which handles Davis' insurance, stated it is committed to providing members access to safe, appropriate, and effective health care within plan benefits. Penny Byer, a 64-year-old homemaker in Stuarts Draft, Virginia, started Wegovy in April 2025 and reached a healthy body mass index.
In December 2025, Virta Health was added to her family's benefits package and discontinued her Wegovy prescription.
Byer said her weight and cholesterol returned to pre-Wegovy levels. Virta Health stated its own research found patients could sustain weight loss after stopping obesity drugs. A systematic review published in The BMJ that included 37 studies and 9,341 patients concluded that stopping obesity medicines is followed by rapid weight regain.
Omada Health reported its membership grew 51 percent over the last year to more than one million people. At the end of 2025 the company had supported more than 150,000 members on GLP-1s, compared with more than 50,000 at the end of 2024. Wei-Li Shao, president of Omada Health, said the company is neither a gatekeeper of GLP-1s nor a vending machine and provides evidence-backed care with providers who already know what a plan will cover.
