Meeting Ozempic Demands: Positioning HSAs as a Weight Loss Add-On

Weight management medications were the fastest growing drug category in 2024, with claims for these drugs surging by 90.6% since 2023, according to Telus Health’s 2025 annual drug report.

As employee interest in weight loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy skyrockets, advisors have an opportunity to position Health Spending Accounts (HSAs) as a flexible solution for employers looking to meet that demand—without overhauling their group benefits plans.

Why Weight Loss Drugs Are on the Radar

Prescription medications such as Ozempic (semaglutide), originally developed for diabetes, have surged in popularity for their weight loss effects. Social media trends, news coverage, and celebrity endorsements have brought these medications into the spotlight and onto the radar of employees seeking better support for weight management.

However, many traditional group benefit plans do not cover these treatments, or they exclude weight loss-related prescriptions altogether. As a result, employees are asking for more support and coverage, but many plan administrators are unsure how to respond.

Enter the HSA

This is where advisors can shine. Health Spending Accounts offer a cost-effective and customizable way for employers to provide coverage for weight loss medications—without modifying core plan designs or dealing with plan inflation concerns.

Here’s how you can position the HSA as a weight loss insurance add-on:

Talking Points for Employers

1. Employees are already asking.

Demand is driven by employees, who are proactive about personal health and open to medical weight loss. Employers who provide flexible support are better positioned to retain and attract top talent.

2. HSAs provide control.

Employers can set specific limits and maintain cost predictability. Employees then use their funds on what they need most—whether that’s Ozempic or something else.

3. HSAs reduce benefit plan inflation.

Instead of adding high-cost drugs to traditional plans, which can inflate premiums and renewal rates, employers can redirect those expenses into an HSA. It’s budgetable, efficient, and sustainable.

4. HSAs are inclusive.

Weight loss treatments are often not covered because they’re considered "lifestyle" choices, but that can feel out of touch to employees. With an HSA, employers can take a modern, inclusive approach to health care without overpromising coverage.

5. It’s a recruitment differentiator.

Employers who speak to modern health concerns, like weight management, stand out in a competitive talent market. Including an HSA with flexibility for new medications is a simple way to modernize a total rewards package.

myHSA Makes It Easy

The myHSA platform makes it simple to add, track, and edit client and employee information quickly, along with custom plan design for easy facilitation of Health, Wellness, and Flex Spending Accounts.

With health care rapidly evolving and employee expectations higher than ever, HSAs provide the adaptability today’s workforce demands. Advisors who speak to this shift, and offer solutions that match, are positioned to build stronger client relationships and unlock new opportunities.

Want help positioning an HSA strategy to a client? Our team is happy to help.