Due to rapidly escalating benefits costs, effective March 31, 2026, the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) has made the decision to discontinue coverage of GLP-1 medications used for weight management. Additionally, no new prescriptions for GLP-1 medications for weight management will be approved after Dec.1, 2025.
Employees receiving GLP-1 medications for diabetes treatment will not be impacted by this change in coverage.
This change in coverage may be a difficult transition for some people. Those who currently use a GLP-1 medication for weight management are encouraged to utilize the time before March 31, 2026, to discuss treatment options with their provider.
The HCPSS Benefits Advisory Committee (BAC) has been deeply involved in evaluating the impact of escalating costs associated with GLP-1 medications and recommended the discontinuation of coverage for weight management. The BAC is composed of representatives of the Board of Education, each of the employee bargaining units, and from the retired employees’ association.
Throughout the past two years, the cost to HCPSS for coverage of GLP-1 medications for weight management has increased from $485,000 over a three-month span, to over $3.6M over three months. Without adjustments, employee premiums were projected to increase by 19.5% and the increase for HCPSS for fiscal year 2027 would have been 25.5% or $47 million. With the proposed changes, the employee premium increase will be 13.3% and the HCPSS increased allocation will be around $30 million.
With this change in coverage, the CVS Weight Management Program, which was previously announced with the goal of reducing GLP-1-related benefits costs, will no longer be in place.