New report shows diabetes spending levels off as GLP-1 use, cost controls rise
By HME News Staff
Updated 10:17 AM CDT, Tue June 24, 2025
SALT LAKE CITY – After decades of increases, diabetes-related health care costs have plateaued, according to a new Trends in Spend report from Nomi Health.
To build the report, the company analyzed employer-sponsored claims data from 2021-24 and found that, while overall health care costs continue to climb, diabetes costs have leveled off.
“For years, diabetes has been one of the biggest and fastest-growing costs for employers,” said Mark Newman, CEO and co-founder of Nomi Health. “Now that those costs are holding steady, it’s the right time to take a closer look at what’s working—and do more of it.”
Key findings from the report:
- Annual spend for diabetics increased just 11% from 2021-2024, while spend for non-diabetics jumped 15%.
- Average monthly medical spend for diabetics decreased slightly (0.5%), while non-diabetic medical spend surged 17%.
- Prescription growth for diabetics (34%) stayed well below the 57% spike for non-diabetics.
What’s driving the shift?
Three major trends:
- More people are using new GLP-1 drugs for diabetes and weight loss.
- Most PBMs now cap insulin costs at $35 per month.
- More employers are using diabetes programs that help people stay out of the hospital.
Nomi provided a cautionary note about GLP-1s, saying the drugs are costly over time and their health benefits may depend on continued use.
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