Eliminate diabetes? New chronic disease care scripts and how GLP-1 can change the game

What if type 2 diabetes can be almost eliminated? This is not even a thought experiment. It is becoming increasingly a reality. A recent study found that during obesity and prediabetes, Tilzaithrin reduces the risk of diabetes by 94%. This is not only treatment, but prevention at a level we have never seen before.

GLP-1 drugs are changing how we view chronic disease management and more importantly prevention. These are not just “weight loss pills”, I think calling them underestimated the actual impact of GLP-1. Ongoing research has found that they can effectively prevent or treat diabetes, heart attacks and strokes, kidney disease, liver disease, sleep apnea, and more.

So, what does this mean for employers? This means a comprehensive overhaul of how we view chronic condition prevention and management. These drugs (with the right approach) can reduce the cost of chronic illness before the chronic illness escalates to improve employee well-being and reduce health care costs. We know they have a powerful impact on chronic diseases, but now they are very expensive. At some point in the future, savings will far outweigh the cost of these drugs. The question is – what should we do until then? How do we prepare for this new reality?

The impact of GLP-1 on chronic conditions continues to expand

The rise of GLP-1 has become a weather event and is far from over. Recently, the FDA approved GLP-1 as a treatment for cardiovascular disease, and other signs are expected to increase in the future. Research has found that GLP-1 can affect many different chronic diseases.

• Diabetes and Metabolic Health:GLP-1 has been a treatment for type 2 diabetes for many years, but recent research has shown that Tirzepatide reduces the development of type 2 diabetes risk by 94%, revolutionary pre-diabetes and diabetes care.
• Cardiovascular health: GLP-1S reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke by 20%, helping to address one of the major causes of death and disability in the United States.
• Liver disease: Patients using GLP-1 reduced their risk of liver disease in half, thereby reducing the likelihood of cirrhosis and liver cancer.
• Kidney disease: GLP-1S reduces the risk of major kidney disease events by 24%, which affects nearly 15% of the U.S. population.
• Sleep apnea: Tirzepatide reduces sleep apnea events by up to three-two (66%) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA is the most common sleep-related respiratory disorder, affecting up to 50% of men and 25% of women in the United States. Many patients find that the current standard processing of CPAP machines is indeed troublesome, thus opening the door to alternative treatment options.
• Brain Health: GLP-1 has been found to reduce the risk of addiction, seizures and neurocognitive impairment, including Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Because chronic diseases account for 90% of U.S. health care spending, employers list chronic diseases as one of their highest medical expenses. Investing in chronic disease prevention can directly affect costs, such as improved health outcomes or reduced high-cost claims or indirect effects, such as employee engagement and workplace productivity. With the expansion of GLP-1 indications, more and more employers will fold it into a chronic disease prevention arsenal.

Wrench: How stigma increases the cost of chronic conditions

A recent Harvard poll found that three-quarters (76%) of U.S. employees who need to manage chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or asthma during working hours need to manage their chronic diseases during working hours. However, the stigma of chronic diseases has a strong impact, as most employees (60%) with chronic diseases cannot inform their employers. Additionally, 49% of employees feel unable to rest at work, while 36% have already postponed medical services to avoid disrupting their work.

Overall, this presents a difficult challenge for employers. Their chronic disease prevention and management strategies must address clinical outcomes, Company culture. Addressing the stigma of chronic illness allows employees to get the care they need, thereby reducing health care costs and improving employee engagement.

Warning: Why is it not enough to use drugs alone

GLP-1 is known as the “game-changer” of obesity and chronic diseases, and they are definitely one of the most powerful tools in the toolbox. But they are not the whole solution. Without the right support, they not only have no potential, but can backfire – keep people prepared for adverse events.

At present, the weight loss conversation has been greatly simplified. Obesity is not a number on scale – it is very complex, with multiple factors and nuances surrounding cause and effect and care. Although medications can help, long-term success depends on solving the whole situation: metabolic health, behavioral change, nutrition, stress management, and more.

Without the right support, employers face:

• Band-Aids that Cannot Resolve the Root Cause – Resolved behavior is critical to sustainable clinical outcomes and quality of life improvements, which may lead to increased employee engagement and productivity.
• High production discontinuation rate – The study found that more than 30% of people taking GLP-1 stopped using it after one month, while 58% stopped producing and then lost meaningful weight.
• Short-term repair, long-term cost – Inadequate support risks risking rotating the revolving doors of these drugs, endangering future health outcomes and leading to increased health care costs.

GLP-1 is not about being a standalone solution – they are just part of the puzzle. As the FDA says, weight loss medications are used in diet and physical exercise counseling aids – we will add a good behavioral skills program. A more comprehensive approach to obesity and chronic care integrates a variety of strategies including nutrition counseling, lifestyle support and obesity specialist care. Plans that focus on the whole person (rather than scale) will have the biggest long-term impact – improving health care costs and employees’ lives.

Looking to the future: The future of chronic disease management

The good news for chronic disease management is that supply and demand for GLP-1 will not slow down. Even without employer insurance, these drugs are still easy to obtain. The bad news is that while there are no shortage of prescribers, there is a lack of support and care for GLP-1.

The real opportunity lies in shaping sustainable GLP-1 support outside of prescriptions. Rather than responding, forward-looking organizations have established a strategy to meet the following short- and long-term needs:

• Prevention as a priority – Early resolution of obesity can reduce the need for high-cost interventions along the route.
• Comprehensive solution – Integrating GLP-1 with a proven behavior change program helps ensure long-term success.
• Personalized expert care – Employees need not only prescriptions; they need to help them successfully navigate treatment and weight loss.
• Solve the stigma of chronic diseases – Employers who develop a culture of support and flexibility (where employees feel safe managing health) will see better engagement, improve well-being and reduce long-term propositions.

GLP-1 is redefining chronic disease management, but medication alone is not enough. A true “game changer” is a comprehensive strategy that enables employees to improve their health and helps organizations reduce long-term costs.

Photo: Alexandraflorian, Getty Images

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