AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Evidence-based weight care program Found today announced the launch of Found for Business, a modern, evidence-based approach to obesity care tailored for employers and their workforces. Combining telehealth clinical care, personalized medication, and lasting behavioral change, Found for Business helps employers lower healthcare spend while tackling a root cause of many high-cost chronic health conditions, including heart disease, musculoskeletal pain, diabetes and hypertension, among many others.
Overweight and obesity are heterogeneous, multifactorial diseases that impact 70% of Americans. Although the American Medical Association first classified obesity as a disease in 2013, the broader medical community has not kept pace with important advances in obesity treatment. Only 1% of physicians specialize in obesity medicine. As a result, the 70% of our country struggling with overweight or obesity are provided the same or similar medical advice by well-intentioned primary care providers: diet, exercise and willpower.
More recently, new drugs called GLP-1s have moved obesity care into the cultural spotlight. When used appropriately, GLP-1s are highly effective for many patients. However, they are not a silver bullet. GLP-1s are expensive, can cause side effects and can be hard to get. People who stop taking GLP-1s typically regain two-thirds of the lost weight or more. And despite the infeasibility of sponsoring lifelong high drug costs for 70% of the population, a new crop of healthcare companies continue to push GLP-1-only plans to consumers, employers and health plans, sometimes absent clinically rigorous protocol.
“We have reached a pivotal moment for obesity care in the United States. All of us know someone who is living with obesity or overweight. Many of us struggle with the conditions ourselves. And while well-meaning employers and health plans are tackling chronic conditions like diabetes, we must get serious about the root cause,” said Dr. Rekha Kumar, Chief Medical Officer, Found. “By extending our clinically-rigorous, medication-assisted, integrative care model into the enterprise market, employers now have a clear choice for managing workforce healthcare spend, without sacrificing obesity treatment efficacy.”
First launched in 2020, Found has served more than 200,000 members, making it the largest medically-assisted weight loss clinic in the United States. Modeled after leading academic medical center obesity care clinics, Found offers 13 different medications, including both generics and GLP-1s, that can be combined to create more than 60 different possible treatment paths. All Found Prescription Programs are paired with a personalized weight care plan, inclusive of behavioral change, tailored to members’ unique biologies and lifestyles. Through the Found community, members can access expert coaching and fellow members, lifestyle programming, and shared medication resources.
Found sees a 67% monthly member participation rate, compared to a 20% average for all employee wellness programs. Nearly half of average engaged members on the Found medication program see 5% weight loss as quickly as three months and 10% weight loss at one year.
“Obesity specialists understand that the root causes of obesity vary widely and must be identified for each individual. As obesity care becomes mainstream, employers are also understanding that one treatment path and one medication will not work, whether clinically or financially, for their entire workforce,” said Sarah Jones Simmer, CEO, Found. “As obesity medicine begins to establish clinical guidelines, we are proud to be on the leading edge of ethical obesity care, supported by the brightest minds in the field. We look forward to extending effective, cost-efficient obesity treatment into the employer market.”
Healthcare costs for employees with obesity are more than twice as high as those without obesity, and weight-related issues can take a major economic toll on employers. The cost of obesity for a company of 1,000 employees is estimated to be greater than $3 million per year. In addition to direct medical care costs, weight-related conditions contribute to many indirect costs, including insurance costs, worker’s compensation, the value of lost work and permanent worker loss.
To explore how Found supports a healthier way to work, visit joinfound.com/employers.
About Found:
Found is an evidence-based weight care solution that combines the best of modern medicine with lasting behavior change, access to personalized coaching and a supportive community. Centered around clinical care, Found provides its members with a comprehensive weight loss program that delivers long term, sustainable results. Found designs personalized treatments around every factor that makes people unique, including biology, medical history, mental health, existent lifestyle, goals and more. Found’s members are supported by a team that includes providers to prescribe safe medication, and the best of consumer technology to provide behavioral health interventions delivered through our app for guidance on nutrition, movement, sleep and emotional health. Found is the largest medically-assisted weight loss clinic in the country, serving more than 200,000 Americans to-date. For more information, visit www.joinfound.com.
