A national survey finds GLP-1 drugs reshaping how Americans get care

New research from Wells Fargo, described by USA Today, finds that GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound are reshaping U.S. health care beyond weight loss, cutting demand for bariatric surgery and shifting spending toward prevention rather than late-stage treatment ^[1]. Robin Wenzel, head of Wells Fargo's industry insights, said the drugs move "profit centers from late-stage treatment and intervention to really being more proactive with the management of obesity" ^[1].

The numbers behind that shift are striking. A May 2026 study in JAMA found bariatric weight-loss operations dropped 34% from 2022 to 2024, while GLP-1 use rose 140% over the same period ^[1]. Dr. Joe Northup, president of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, said his group will soon release its own figures on the surgery decline, and he expects a future where some patients use medication while others still choose surgery, including some who return to surgery after trying drugs for six months to a year ^[1].

Heart health data also point to a broader shift. One study found semaglutide — sold as Ozempic and Wegovy — cut major adverse cardiovascular events by 20% in overweight or obese adults without diabetes ^[1]. A separate June study in the Journal of the American Heart Association found GLP-1 users with obesity and an autoimmune condition, such as celiac disease or rheumatoid arthritis, had fewer strokes, blood clots, and cardiac events than similar patients not on the drugs ^[1]. Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity medicine specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, said she sees these effects firsthand in patients who lose weight, lower blood pressure, and reduce cholesterol ^[1].

The source material for this report does not break down exactly what share of patients now start treatment through telehealth or direct-pay channels versus a primary care visit — that specific figure is not yet known from the available reporting. What is documented is that both Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have cut prices for consumers buying directly from the drugmakers or through telehealth companies partnered with them ^[1], a structural change from the traditional doctor's-office prescription path.

Why it matters for patients

For patients, the practical effect is twofold. First, insurance coverage is becoming less predictable. Starbucks said it will stop covering GLP-1 weight-loss drugs for employees starting in October ^[1], and a Mercer survey found about 6% of large employers plan to drop coverage in 2026, with another 5% planning to drop it in 2027 — even though nearly half of large employers covered the drugs in 2025 ^[1]. Stanford said patients who lose coverage and can't afford out-of-pocket options are seeing weight regain and the return of conditions like high blood pressure and cholesterol problems that had gone into remission ^[1].

Second, a 2024 JAMA Network Open study linked weight loss in overweight or obese adults to lower overall health care spending, but the article notes those savings only materialize if people can actually access the medication ^[1]. That access question — tied to cost, insurance, and how people obtain prescriptions — remains central as the drugs spread through the health system.

What happens next

Medicare began covering GLP-1 drugs for older adults on July 1, 2026 ^[1]. Eli Lilly has also reported that its experimental drug retatrutide, which targets three hormone receptors, produced weight loss of 19% to 28% in trial results, with some outcomes comparable to bariatric surgery ^[1]. Wells Fargo reports the weight-loss drug pipeline now exceeds cancer drugs in projected value, and Goldman Sachs projects global sales of these medications will reach about $105 billion by 2030 ^[1].