Zepbound Healthcare Costs Lower in Adults Over 55, Study Finds

Eli Lilly’s real-world study of Zepbound healthcare costs in adults over 55 found that staying on the drug for weight management lowered monthly costs over time compared with similar untreated adults, driven in part by fewer hospital admissions and emergency department visits.

The study, published in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, is the first of its kind in this age group. For patients in Medicare’s GLP-1 Bridge program, the lower costs translate into meaningful savings as early as 12 months into treatment.

What the Zepbound healthcare costs study found

The analysis estimated cost differences over time while excluding the cost of Zepbound itself, using two established methods. Both approaches found lower monthly healthcare costs with sustained Zepbound use compared with no treatment.

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At six months, costs were up to 15% lower, or up to $181 per patient per month. The gap widened by 12 months to an estimated difference of up to $607 per patient per month, reflecting on average up to 38% lower costs than those not treated.

In the primary analysis, adults older than 55 treated with Zepbound had lower rates of hospital admissions and emergency department visits across every follow-up period, alongside numerically higher rates of routine outpatient and office visits, consistent with greater engagement in routine care.

Beginning at six months, the estimated savings nearly covered the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program’s monthly treatment cost of $195 per patient. From 12 months onward, the estimated savings exceeded the cost of Zepbound treatment, suggesting sustained treatment in an aging population may lead to meaningful cost savings.

What the study measured

This retrospective observational cohort study drew on Komodo’s Healthcare Map, which holds de-identified claims data from over 330 million individuals enrolled in US healthcare plans. It included 15,843 adults over 55, with a mean age of 64.5 years, who had obesity (a body mass index of 30 kg/m² or higher) or overweight (a body mass index of 27 kg/m² or higher) plus at least one obesity-related complication. All of them started Zepbound between November 2023 and September 2025.

Each Zepbound user was matched 1:1 with a control who met the same eligibility criteria but did not start any GLP-1 or GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist. Matching accounted for baseline demographics, clinical characteristics, obesity-related complications, and healthcare utilization patterns. All participants had at least 12 months of continuous enrollment before the study began.

Two ways of analyzing the data

Because not all patients stayed in the study for the same length of time, the researchers used two complementary methods. A pairwise analysis compared costs directly between matched pairs. The primary analysis, called inverse probability of censoring weighting, reweighted the results so patients who left early were still fairly represented.

Both approaches pointed the same way. At six months, the pairwise analysis showed a 15% smaller cost increase, a difference of $181 per patient per month, while the IPCW analysis showed a 12% smaller increase, or $145 per patient per month. At 12 months, the pairwise analysis estimated a difference of $607 per patient per month, or 38% lower costs on average, and the IPCW analysis estimated $319 per patient per month, or 25% lower costs.

How to read the numbers

Claims data do not capture Zepbound’s net price, so the study excluded the cost of the drug from total treatment costs. The reported differences therefore reflect potential savings that could offset the price of Zepbound, rather than the net cost impact of treatment overall.

“This compelling real-world evidence highlights the impact that treating obesity with Zepbound can have on older patients and the healthcare system,” said Ilya Yuffa, executive vice president and president, Lilly USA and Global Customer Capabilities. “This analysis shows treatment costs can be lowered, and in some cases more than covered, by savings elsewhere in care, including for payers and in Medicare. As coverage expands across Medicare, states and employers, these data offer evidence on the cost implications of long-term obesity treatment and should help shape decisions.”

About Zepbound

Zepbound is the first and only dual GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonist obesity medication. It reduces appetite and how much a person eats. It is approved for adults with obesity, or some adults who are overweight and also have at least one weight-related medical problem, to lose weight and keep it off. Zepbound is also approved to treat adults with moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea and obesity, and should be used with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.