GLP-1 cost savings strategies: How movement boosts ROI 

GLP-1s offer big promise. But also big costs.

GLP-1 medications have reshaped obesity care. Their rapid rise has been fueled by strong clinical results, enthusiastic providers, and increasing demand from patients and executive sponsors. These medications often deliver meaningful short-term weight loss. But they can also carry a significant financial burden for employers and health plans.

GLP-1s can cost up to $10,000 per member annually¹. For self-insured employers and payers with large member populations, these costs scale quickly. Industry analysts now estimate that GLP-1 medications may account for up to 9% of total healthcare spending for some plans².

The return on investment, however, is not always clear.

Many GLP-1 programs are not designed to deliver long-term value. Patients may lose weight, but often at the cost of lean muscle. Others discontinue treatment without establishing sustainable lifestyle habits. Weight regain is common³. Re-prescription is frequent⁴. And rising MSK costs often follow⁵.

The outcome is higher cost, lower value, and missed opportunity. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Where GLP-1 cost savings are lost

GLP-1s are often treated as standalone solutions. But their impact fades without behavioral support or physical activity woven into care plans.

The data reveals three major cost drivers:

• 70% of GLP-1 users discontinue within the first year³
• Up to two-thirds of lost weight is regained after stopping⁴
• Up to 39% of lean body mass is lost during treatment⁵

This lean mass loss affects more than the number on the scale. Muscle is essential for metabolism, movement, and injury prevention. As muscle is lost, metabolism slows. Members can become more prone to injury, fatigue, and chronic pain. That increases fall risk, reduces energy, and makes it harder to maintain weight loss without restarting medication.

The result is rising MSK claims, repeat prescribing, and higher absenteeism.

These effects erode the very ROI that GLP-1 programs are meant to deliver.

How movement turns cost risk into value

Movement changes the equation.

Structured physical activity helps preserve lean muscle and protects against the side effects of rapid weight loss. It does more than support weight goals. It builds health capacity and improves long-term outcomes.

Movement reduces cost exposure by:

• Preserving lean muscle and supporting metabolism⁵
• Reducing re-prescriptions by building healthy routines
• Preparing members for success before starting treatment
• Lowering MSK risk and related claims from pain, falls, and injuries

This isn’t an optional benefit. It’s the strategic lever that makes GLP-1 investment sustainable.

4 High-impact levers for GLP-1 cost savings

Employers and health plans don’t need minor tweaks. They need structural solutions that embed movement across the member journey. These four interventions deliver the biggest financial and clinical impact:

1. Pre-authorization through movement

Before approving GLP-1 medication, offer a structured movement program. This allows plans to:

• Identify members who may improve enough to postpone or avoid medication
• Build early lifestyle changes that drive better outcomes later
• Reduce unnecessary prescriptions and associated costs

This approach mirrors existing prehab models used before surgery. It sets a strong foundation and protects long-term results.

2. Movement programs during treatment

Supporting GLP-1 members with movement while they are actively taking medication:

• Preserves lean muscle⁵
• Improves energy and physical capacity
• Reinforces behavioral change for post-treatment success

Physical activity improves adherence and lowers the odds of rebound weight gain. It also boosts members’ confidence in managing their health beyond medication.

3. Post-treatment support

Once GLP-1 use ends, members become more vulnerable. Appetite returns, muscle has been lost, and motivation may fade. Without continued support, most members experience weight regain⁴ and escalating MSK risk⁵.

Continued movement helps members:

• Maintain their weight loss
• Rebuild strength
• Avoid relapse into high-cost care cycles

Structured physical activity provides a safety net at this critical turning point.

4. Choose vendors that price to performance

Maximize ROI by working with partners who only get paid when your members improve.

Outcomes-based vendors, like Sword, provide:

• Clear performance-linked pricing
• Member-level tracking and transparency
• Proven metrics across GLP-1-relevant populations

This approach reduces financial risk and aligns incentives around meaningful outcomes—not just access.

Real-world results with Sword Move

Sword Move’s program is already helping members build strength and reduce downstream costs. In populations relevant to GLP-1 treatment:

• 69% of “inactive” and “insufficiently active” members reach “active” or “healthy active” status within 10 weeks⁶
• Sedentary time reduced by 1 hour 22 minutes per day for previously “inactive” or “insufficiently active” members⁷
• Members completed 4.5 guided sessions per week⁸
• 91% of members reported feeling moderately or much better⁹

These results show measurable behavior change, which is exactly what GLP-1 programs often lack. Movement creates sustainable improvement in function, energy, and outcomes.

When members move, they don’t just lose weight. They gain strength, resilience, and better long-term health.

How to build a smarter GLP-1 cost strategy

If you want to reduce GLP-1 spend while improving health outcomes, start here:

Audit prescribing patterns

Look at duration, adherence, refill trends, and post-discontinuation MSK claims.

Layer structured movement into every phase

Offer movement-first care before, during, and after GLP-1 treatment.

Flag high-risk members early

Identify members who are inactive, have rising MSK costs, or lack adherence.

Choose outcomes-based partners

Work with vendors that only charge when members improve. Look for those who track and report on behavior change and MSK-related metrics.

Movement is the lever that makes GLP-1 strategy work

GLP-1s offer real weight loss potential. But without movement, they risk becoming an unsustainable cost center. From muscle loss to weight regain to rising MSK claims, the downstream effects of inactive GLP-1 use are costly, invisible, and avoidable.

Instead, support GLP-1 prescriptions with movement as a clinical, financial, and behavioral tool to unlock lasting value from GLP-1 programs. Movement preserves lean mass, prevents MSK risk, reduces prescription churn, and builds the strength and stability needed to protect long-term outcomes.

The smartest employers and health plans are already embedding structured movement into their benefit design. Not as an afterthought, but as a foundation.

Make movement the multiplier in your GLP-1 strategy

Sword Move delivers clinically guided, outcomes-based movement programs at scale. With real-time tracking, wearable integration, and proven results, Move empowers members to stay active, build strength, and retain results.

FAQ: GLP-1 cost savings and movement

Why are GLP-1s so expensive? They can cost up to $10,000 per member each year and are often used for extended periods.¹

What causes cost to increase beyond the medication? Side effects like lean muscle loss can lead to MSK pain, falls, and re-prescription.⁵ These don’t show up as direct medication costs, but they add up quickly.

How does movement reduce costs? Movement protects muscle⁵, builds healthy habits, and reduces reliance on pharmacological treatment³⁴.

Is this scalable for large populations? Yes. Virtual programs like Move provide digital support with clinical oversight and wearable tracking, delivering outcomes at scale.