The 2026 GLP-1 Long-Term Strategy Playbook: Beyond Access, Toward Lasting Outcomes
Key Takeaways
- In order to serve members and address costs, GLP-1 strategies must expand beyond access and affordability to also focus on lasting outcomes and value.
- Employers and plans can improve the return on GLP-1 investments by optimizing care before, during, and after treatment.
- The modern GLP-1 playbook starts with the right care path, optimizes impact when GLP-1s are taken, and supports long-term maintenance of metabolic health improvements after the medication.
The GLP-1 landscape has changed
GLP-1s have become a defining part of today’s benefit landscape. As access expands and utilization grows, the conversation is shifting beyond coverage to how to maximize the value of every GLP-1 investment.
New indications, oral GLP-1s, cash pay, and new fulfillment models are making these medications more accessible than ever–and fueling increased utilization and costs. Between 2024 and 2026, the number of Americans who personally know someone who has used a GLP-1 for weight loss has increased from 21% to 31%1, reflecting how quickly these therapies have entered the mainstream.
![An estimated 48 million Americans expect to start a GLP-1 for weight loss in 20262, keeping GLP-1s a top pharmacy cost driver for the foreseeable future. [Source: The GLP-1 Access Gap: Mapping Who Can Actually Afford America’s Miracle Weight-Loss Drugs, The Health Management Academy, February 4, 2026, https://hmacademy.com/blog/glp1-access-gap-affordability-by-stat]](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63bc6cdba9784b6ec05f51aa/6a67b3613f94e9685dfd8905_starting-glp-2026-stat.png)
Even with lower prices, increased demand and utilization mean GLP-1s will likely remain a top pharmacy cost driver for the foreseeable future. This dynamic places increased pressure on benefits leaders to deliver measurable clinical and financial outcomes without sacrificing the member experience.
Evolving GLP-1 focus: from short- to long-term outcomes
As employers revisit their GLP-1 strategies, the conversation is expanding beyond coverage to consider factors that determine long-term success.
Leaders are now asking additional questions, such as:
- How can we manage costs while supporting a positive member experience?
- How can I help members get the greatest benefit from a GLP-1 when taken?
- How do we help members maintain their health improvements after they stop taking a GLP-1?
These questions matter because investments in GLP-1s only drive value if health improvements are sustained over time.
Where most GLP-1 strategies fall short
GLP-1s can help people lose weight and control blood sugar, but medication alone isn’t enough to deliver lasting clinical and financial results. Without the right support before, during, and after a GLP-1, organizations can face rising pharmacy costs, inconsistent outcomes, and weight regain as members transition on and off medication.
With millions on the line, employers must adopt a modern approach, specifically one that addresses how care is delivered over time. This includes planning for what happens before a GLP-1 is started, alongside the medication, and after a GLP-1 is stopped.
Here’s what a modern, cost-effective GLP-1 playbook looks like
1. Start with the best care path–not just the medication
Giving members an understanding of all of their treatment options, not just GLP-1s, at the beginning of their personal health journey can improve outcomes while reducing costs.
![Despite GLP-1s becoming one of the most visible weight loss trends in America, 61% say they would rather change their own behavior than take a prescription medication for weight loss¹ [Source: Virta Health. Virta Vitals: The Rise of the GLP-1 Era (June 2026). https://assets.virtahealth.com/docs/2026-Virta-Vitals-Report.pdf]](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63bc6cdba9784b6ec05f51aa/6a67b4a00139139ed2bac148_behavior-change-stat.png)
At Virta, we’ve seen this preference reflected in practice. When members learn about their options before starting a GLP-1, more than 2 in 3 members not utilizing a GLP-1 at time of enrollment chose a nutrition-first pathway.3
2. Maximize the impact of a GLP-1 with nutrition and clinical support
GLP-1s are most effective when paired with personalized nutrition and ongoing clinical guidance.
Continuous clinical oversight helps members stay on a GLP-1 when appropriate, while intensive coaching and personalized nutrition recommendations empower members to build habits needed to sustain nutrition and lifestyle changes.
3. Plan for life after a GLP-1 from day 1
Long-term maintenance of health improvements starts with a plan for what comes after the medication. Building that plan into care from the beginning can prevent weight regain, improve long-term health improvements, and reduce ongoing costs.
![Virta is the only reversal solution with published results on sustained weight loss a year after GLP-1 deprescription using lifestyle intervention.4 [Source: McKenzie, A.L., Athinarayanan, S.J. Impact of Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Agonist Deprescription in Type 2 Diabetes in a Real-World Setting: A Propensity Score Matched Cohort Study. Diabetes Ther (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13300-024-01547-0]](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63bc6cdba9784b6ec05f51aa/6a67b556872c1ca2678238a5_glp-depresciption-results-graphic.png)
Real world data show that most people regain all of the weight lost within 2 years of stopping the medication.5 By pairing medication with personalized nutrition and lasting behavior change, organizations can help members maintain progress while reducing reliance on lifelong medication.
Is your GLP-1 strategy built for lasting outcomes?
GLP-1s have become a standard part of metabolic care, but medication alone isn’t a long-term strategy. The greatest opportunity to drive value from these medications isn’t simply expanding access–it’s building a care model that helps members succeed before, during, and after a GLP-1.
Virta helps employers and health plans build a plan beyond the prescription, moving members beyond lifelong medication reliance and organizations beyond indefinite Rx spend.
Read our How to Turn GLP-1s into Lasting Outcomes paper for deeper insights.
Related Resources
This blog is intended for informational purposes only and is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or any advice relating to your health. View full disclaimer
Are you living with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, or unwanted weight?
- Virta Health. Virta Vitals: The Rise of the GLP-1 Era (June 2026). https://assets.virtahealth.com/docs/2026-Virta-Vitals-Report.pdf
- The GLP-1 Access Gap: Mapping Who Can Actually Afford America’s Miracle Weight-Loss Drugs, The Health Management Academy, February 4, 2026, https://hmacademy.com/blog/glp1-access-gap-affordability-by-state
- Virta internal analysis of commercially enrolled population enrolled since Q2 2025
- McKenzie, A.L., Athinarayanan, S.J. Impact of Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Agonist Deprescription in Type 2 Diabetes in a Real-World Setting: A Propensity Score Matched Cohort Study. Diabetes Ther (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13300-024-01547-0
- People who stop taking weight-loss jabs regain weight in under two years, study reveals, The Guardian, January 7, 2026, https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jan/07/weight-loss-jabs-regain-two-years-health-study
