Execs at a healthcare conference debated whether employers should pay for workers' weight-loss drugs.
A Blackstone exec warned that the costly GLP-1 drugs could put some employers out of business.
Panelists agreed that companies covering the drugs should do so as part of a broader support program.
Andreas Mang, the CEO of Equity Healthcare, a division of Blackstone, said spending on these diabetes and weight-loss drugs, known as GLP-1 agonists, spiked 600% across Blackstone's portfolio in the last four years.
The benefits firm Aon recently projected that employers' health-insurance costs will climb 8.5% next year, fueled in part by weight-loss drugs.
Persons:
Blackstone, Andreas Mang, they're, Melynda Barnes, Lucia Guillory, Li Shao, Shao, Omada, We've, They're
Organizations:
Blackstone, Equity Healthcare, GLP, Getty, Wei, Omada, Pharmaceutical
Locations:
Las Vegas, Europe