Delaware Analysis Shows GLP-1 Rebates Keep Drug Costs Stable Despite Increased Use

The Delaware Department of Insurance's Office of Value-Based Health Care Delivery reported that GLP-1 drug costs, when adjusted for rebates, have remained nearly stable in recent years despite increased usage. From 2020 to 2023, spending on GLP-1 medications nearly doubled among fully insured commercial members in Delaware, although members only paid about 22% of the total cost after rebates. The majority of rebates (approximately 90%) benefited insurers rather than patients at the point of sale. Commissioner Trinidad Navarro noted that despite the drugs' high nominal prices, GLP-1s are not a major driver of rising health insurance costs and are viewed as a cost-effective method to manage obesity and diabetes.