Managing Diabetes Smarter: How to Help Members (and Your Budget)

Scripta
Jun 13
2 min read

If it feels like diabetes drugs are popping up everywhere in your pharmacy spend, you’re not wrong. New treatments are helping employees and their families live healthier lives and avoid serious complications – but they also come with a hefty price tag.

The real challenge is making sure your plan covers the right medications, at the right time, for the right members. Here’s what every HR and benefits leader should know about today’s fast-changing diabetes treatment landscape – and how to avoid paying top dollar for drugs that don’t deliver the value your plan deserves.

Diabetes care is evolving rapidly. For plan sponsors, this creates a critical balancing act: ensuring members with type 2 diabetes (T2D) get access to effective medications while controlling rapidly rising pharmacy costs.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends starting treatment right after diagnosis, with medications tailored to each person’s risks and needs.

Here are commonly prescribed, FDA-approved diabetes treatments:

Metformin remains the most affordable and effective first-line option
Newer GLP-1 receptor agonists (Byetta, Victoza, Trulicity, Ozempic, Mounjaro, Rybelsus [oral]) and SGLT2 inhibitors (Jardiance, Farxiga, Invokana, Steglatro, Brenzavvy) are often used for members with heart or kidney risks, thanks to their ability to prevent serious complications
Older drugs like sulfonylureas, TZDs, and DPP-4 inhibitors still appear in use but come with tradeoffs in side effects or efficacy
Surprisingly, some outdated drugs still show up in claims due to legacy prescribing or cost concerns

Scripta Tips for Plan Sponsors:

Know the available options: Diabetes treatment is evolving—newer medications can reduce long-term health risks (like heart or kidney disease), but they are significantly more expensive than older options.
Audit what is being prescribed: Ask your PBM for visibility into the commonly used diabetes drugs in your plan, and whether prescribing aligns with current ADA guidelines. Give members the tools and guidance to better access & afford meds: A partner like Scripta can help ensure members get the right medications at the right price, which is especially valuable for expensive categories like GLP-1s.
Invest now for long-term savings: Managing diabetes well can reduce costly complications—investing in the right treatments upfront (A1C testing, weight checks, glucose tracking) often saves money long term through fewer hospitalizations and better member health.

Bottom line: the diabetes drug market moves fast and varies widely in cost and clinical value. Without visibility, it’s easy for plans to cover high-cost, low-value drugs or miss the chance to prevent costly complications down the road.