Calibrate

Well said, Linda Anegawa, MD, FACP, Dipl. ABOM, NBPAS! GLP-1 coverage can increase pharmacy spending by 10% to 20%. But is that investment producing lasting results? Coverage alone is not a strategy. Employers need an approach that connects medication access with nutrition, physical activity, behavioral health, coaching, and specialist care. Dr. Linda shares a practical blueprint for turning GLP-1 coverage into better outcomes and greater value for every healthcare dollar. Read her perspective: https://lnkd.in/gGVFaTre #EmployeeBenefits #GLP1 #BenefitsStrategy #WorkplaceHealth

Proud to share that Calibrate has been named one of Newsweek’s America’s Greatest Startup Workplaces 2026. 🎉 This recognition is based on employee satisfaction, operational growth, financial performance, and client engagement; but what it really reflects is a team that genuinely believes in what we’re building and shows up for each other every day. Changing how employers and employees think about weight management is hard, meaningful work. Thank you to our incredible team, our employer partners, and every Calibrate member on this journey with us. https://hubs.la/Q04pH9370

GLP-1s have changed obesity care. They may also change how employers think about funding healthcare benefits. As utilization grows, employers are asking a different set of questions: • How do we create predictable financial models? • How do we support clinically appropriate access? • How do we measure outcomes—not just utilization? • How do we build a benefit that remains sustainable over time? We believe answering those questions requires more than simply covering medication. It requires a new approach to benefit design. That's why Calibrate developed a Defined Contribution model that combines: • Predictable employer funding • Physician-led clinical oversight • Comprehensive metabolic health support • Transparent program economics • Performance guarantees with up to 100% of program fees at risk The objective isn't simply to reduce pharmacy costs. It's to help employers achieve better health outcomes while bringing greater predictability and control to their overall GLP-1 strategy. If you're evaluating how your organization will manage GLP-1 benefits over the next several years, we've built a calculator that models how a Defined Contribution approach could compare with your current strategy. Explore it here: https://hubs.la/Q04pF3PP0 #GLP1 #EmployeeBenefits #TotalRewards #MetabolicHealth #HealthcareInnovation

6:1 estimated annual ROI. Strong number. Still not the most interesting one. In year 3 of the Calibrate program, one of our large enterprise clients with a predominantly blue-collar workforce is showing what sustainable GLP-1 access can look like. 17.8% average body-weight loss at 12 months. 53.9 lbs average weight loss at 24 months. 5.7% increase in relative muscle mass. 6.0% reduction in relative fat mass. 79% improved at least one metabolic risk marker. That's the real world difference: access versus governance. Employers do not need to choose between open-ended utilization and eliminating coverage. The better model is access with governance: - Clinical oversight. - Medication optimization. - Body composition visibility. - Metabolic monitoring. Predictable spend. Coverage is not the strategy. Governance is. If your GLP-1 wrap program plus net medication cost is running north of $450 per engaged member per month, we should talk!

CFOs are not pushing back on GLP-1 coverage. They are pushing back on the number they can't predict. I keep having this conversation with benefits leaders, CFOs, and pharmacy teams. My answer is usually the same. The biggest decision isn't which GLP-1 to cover. It's how you plan to fund appropriate access over the next five years. Most conversations today revolve around rebates, prior authorization, or formulary design. Those are important decisions. But they don't solve the underlying problem: balancing access with long-term financial sustainability. One large employer client is projected to see a 6:1 return this year through clinical governance and medical cost reduction. That's roughly $30M in annual savings, proof that how you manage the program matters as much as how you pay for it. Which is where funding comes in. That's what led us to build Calibrate's Defined Contribution model: a predictable financial structure with physician-led clinical oversight, transparent program economics, and accountability through performance guarantees, including putting up to 100% of our program fees at risk. Every employer evaluating a GLP-1 program should be able to answer three questions: 1. Is our spending predictable? 2. Are we improving meaningful health outcomes? 3. Can we clearly demonstrate value for every dollar invested? We built a calculator that compares a traditional GLP-1 funding approach against a Defined Contribution model in about 90 seconds. https://lnkd.in/g-_NkDCi For benefits leaders here: if your GLP-1 spend doubled next year, could you explain to your CFO exactly why? #GLP1 #EmployeeBenefits #HealthcareCosts #ValueBasedCare

We’ve made a mistake as an industry. GLP-1 programs are treated as weight loss programs. They aren’t. And employers are paying for that mistake right now. Business Group on Health’s 2026 survey found nearly 8 in 10 employers say GLP-1s are driving up their health care costs. More than half expected significant clinical benefits. Few have seen any evidence in their claims. And PBM persistence data shows only 1 in 12 members are still on therapy at three years. So employers are cutting coverage. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: the drug was never the problem. Coverage without clinical management was. Weight loss is the catalyst, not the objective. The real objective is improving metabolic health and reducing long-term cardiometabolic risk. When employers evaluate metabolic health solutions, the outcomes that matter include: • Improved HbA1c and glycemic control • Reduced inflammation and cardiovascular risk factors • Healthier lipid profiles and blood pressure • Reduced progression to type 2 diabetes • Appropriate medication optimization and stewardship • Sustained member engagement and behavior change • Lower downstream medical costs and predictable employer ROI After six years and over 100,000 members, we’ve learned that sustainable metabolic health requires far more than access to medication. It requires physician-led care, behavior change, longitudinal coaching, and continuous clinical optimization informed by real-world outcomes, not just clinical trials. Our members sustain an average of 19% weight loss at 36 months, and they increase relative lean body mass while doing it. Fat loss, not muscle loss. That’s the difference between weight loss and metabolic health, and it’s 2-3x better outcomes than GLP-1 access alone Before you cut coverage, ask a different question: what would it look like if the program were actually managed? If you’re evaluating metabolic health solutions for an employer population, I’m happy to share an anonymized three-year employer case study demonstrating a sustained 6:1 annual ROI through a clinically managed, financially predictable approach to GLP-1 implementation. #MetabolicHealth #CardiometabolicHealth #ObesityCare #GLP1 #EmployerHealth #PopulationHealth #BenefitsConsulting #ValueBasedCare

Our newest team member, getting in on the FIFA fun. ⚽️

New partnership with SmithRx: Calibrate deepens reach with mid-market employers alongside existing enterprise relationships. Employers are still asking how they can cover GLP-1s without blowing their benefits budget. The answer is: you don't have to choose between controlling costs and meeting employee demand. Calibrate’s purpose-built and proven GLP-1 governance solution has helped employers reduce GLP-1 costs, often by 30-50%, for nearly six years. That's true for enterprise employers managing high-volume demand, and for small to mid-size employers who worry they don't have the partner infrastructure to support their employees through the journey. Calibrate works with PBMs across the employer spectrum - from OptumRx to SmithRx - so there's a path in regardless of your size. And we offer real flexibility on how you fund it: - Traditional cost share - Defined contribution offerings - Manufacturer-direct cash pay We’re also proud to be the only solution with published 4-year outcomes using GLPs across every workforce type: office, shift, field, and more. That's a distinction very few companies can claim! Our focus is simple: Make GLP-1 coverage something employers can sustain and employees can benefit from. Predictable costs, real outcomes, and a program people actually stay with. If that's the conversation your organization needs to be having, let's talk. https://hubs.la/Q04lswkD0

Need to build a sustainable weight management program but don't know where to start? You don't have to choose between access and affordability. Despite the financial strain GLP-1s can place on employer health budgets, with strategic plan design, obesity drugs can result in long-term savings and better employee health outcomes. Today, SmithRx is launching a best-in-class partner ecosystem designed to help employers access low-list-price GLP-1s and offer members the support they need to optimize and maintain their results. Through our curated partnerships with specialized obesity medicine and weight management providers, including 9amHealth, Calibrate, Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, PBC, FlyteHealth, and Form Health, employers gain access to manufacturer-approved cash-pay pricing for GLP-1s. Our flexible, vendor-agnostic approach means programs are customizable to fit your unique needs, plan size, and budget. And through our transparent, 100% pass-through PBM model, those savings flow directly to you, with some employers already realizing up to 70% in cost savings. 💡 Ready to explore greater control and customization of your GLP-1 coverage? ➡️ Learn more about the SmithRx Weight Management Program: https://bit.ly/3QcfOms #ModernPBM #BenefitsLeaders #CHRO #HR #GLP1s #SmithRx