The pressure on benefits teams hasn’t let up in 2025. Between rising medical costs, growing demand for personalization, and shifting clinical guidance on everything from GLP-1s to maternal care, employers are being asked to do more with less.
Earlier this year, The 2025 Healthee Benefits Divide revealed a stark gap between what employees expect and what most benefits programs are built to deliver¹. That gap is still real, but it has become a blueprint for change.
In this post, we’re spotlighting five key trends that are already shaping the employee health experience, from GLP-1 coverage changes to the increasing urgency of equitable women’s care. Whether you’re refining this year’s strategy or building the next one, these insights can help you stay ahead of the curve.
Once the most headline-grabbing category in employee health benefits, GLP-1 medications like semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) have entered a new phase in 2025. The focus is shifting from short-term access to long-term sustainability.
As of Q2 2025, the FDA has officially ended its allowance of compounded semaglutide, citing the resolution of national supply chain issues². This marks a shift for employers that previously leaned on compounders to meet demand during periods like open enrollment.
Emerging data may confirm the long-term impact of GLP-1s. A recent study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that patients using these therapies experienced lower hospitalization rates and reduced total medical expenses over a 12-month period³.
Despite their clinical promise, employers are tightening coverage criteria. In Q2, UnitedHealthcare updated its policy to require prior authorization for GLP-1s, often limiting coverage to members with Type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes⁴.
Employers should revisit their PBM contracts and formulary language now to avoid confusion and frustration during open enrollment.
Mental health remains a consistent and urgent priority for employees. In 2025, it continues to lead all other care categories in employee engagement.
To meet demand without increasing claims costs, employers are adding virtual mental health solutions outside the core medical plan. Tools like Healthee’s embedded teletherapy provide private, instant access to licensed professionals, with no claims impact.
Additional actions include:
Mental health is no longer optional. It is foundational to workforce productivity, satisfaction, and retention.
Within maternal care, there still remains benefits gaps, and employer-sponsored benefits have a role to play. In 2025, equitable women’s health is no longer only a DEI issue. It is central to workforce strategy.
According to the CDC’s latest data, Black and Indigenous women are still two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white woman 5. Public systems have failed to close this gap, placing greater responsibility on employers to act.
To support all growing families, HR leaders should:
Vaccines remain one of the most effective tools for preventive care. Yet in 2025, employer strategies for increasing uptake are inconsistent.
Organizations don’t need to take a stance on policy to take action on health. Focus communications on safety, convenience, and cost coverage.
Consider these tactics:
Vaccines reduce absenteeism and prevent downstream claims. Don’t wait for open enrollment to drive awareness.
At the start of the year, The 2025 Benefits Divide outlined 10 strategies for smarter benefits programs. Six months in, those strategies are still essential to implement.
Here’s some examples of what leading employers are doing now:
Healthee supports every one of these strategies with purpose-built tools that help HR teams work smarter.
1. Personalized experiences and AI navigation: Zoe, Healthee’s AI assistant, provides instant support for comparing plans, finding providers, and estimating costs.
2. Women’s health and point solution integration: Custom homepages and smart targeting help employers highlight programs like fertility support or GLP-1 coverage to the right users.
3. Communication and engagement tools: Healthee Connect makes it easy to send personalized messages, reminders, and educational content that improves engagement.
The trends shaping employee health benefits in 2025 are already redefining the status quo. Employees want more access, more relevance, and more support. Employers need cost-effective solutions that actually deliver.
Don’t wait for Q4 to course-correct. Revisit your partnerships, assess your platform’s effectiveness, and explore smarter ways to deliver care.
1. Healthee. (2025). The 2025 Benefits Divide Report. Retrieved from https://healthee.com/resources/the-2025-benefits-divide-report/
2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (2025). FDA Statement on Compounded Semaglutide. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-statement-compounded-semaglutide
3. Smith, T. R., et al. (2025). Long-term impact of GLP-1 medications on hospitalization rates and total cost of care. JAMA Internal Medicine, 185(4), 355–362. Retrieved from https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2816835
4. UnitedHealthcare. (2025). Prior Authorization Updates: GLP-1 Drugs. Retrieved from https://www.uhcprovider.com/en/policies-protocols/policies/comm-medical-drug-policies.html
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2025). Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2023 Data. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/maternal-mortality/index.htm
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or medical advice. Employers should consult with their legal, benefits, and healthcare advisors before making any changes to their employee benefits programs.
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