New Strategies to Manage Rising Pharmacy Costs

New Strategies to Manage Rising Pharmacy Costs
June 11, 2026 4 mins

New Strategies to Manage Rising Pharmacy Costs

New Strategies to Manage Rising Pharmacy Costs

Specialty drugs and GLP 1s are on the rise, changing the landscape of employee pharmacy benefits. Discover new strategies to better understand and manage pharmacy costs.

Pharmacy costs are rising, and the drivers are more complex

Rising drug spend is testing the limits of traditional pharmacy strategies. New therapies, uneven adherence and limited cost transparency are converging, making it harder for employers to manage affordability while delivering value.

Data from Aon’s Health Survey shows a clear shift in pharmacy strategy. Managing cost is no longer about reacting to individual high‑cost drugs. To manage rising pharmacy costs, employers can take action using three key strategies:

  • Strengthen foundational levers to increase control over pharmacy management
  • Optimize value through adherence to link spend to real clinical outcomes
  • Rethink the pharmacy playbook to better manage cost, access and long-term sustainability

Together, the data paints a clear picture of how employers are managing pharmacy costs today, where efforts are concentrated and where gaps continue to limit impact.

1. Pharmacy costs are getting harder to control 

41% of employers say managing total prescription drug spend across medical and pharmacy benefits is a growing challenge.

2. Specialty drugs dominate attention, but they’re not the whole problem

High‑cost specialty medications and GLP‑1s drive cost concerns, and employers are exploring different options.


 Part of Plan Interested in Adding
Biosimilar first strategy that excludes the reference drug
 35% 21%
Exclusion list of high cost/low value clinical value drugs 25% 20%
Low wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) formulary 20% 18%
3. GLP-1 adherence drives value, but support gaps limit impact

Members with ≥80% adherence to GLP-1 therapies achieve better clinical and cost outcomes. However, only 31% of employers covering GLP-1s for weight loss have built in adherence support, representing a meaningful missed opportunity to improve both outcomes and cost effectiveness.

4. Lifestyle programs and network controls are underutilized levers

51% of employers covering GLP-1s for weight loss offer lifestyle modification programs, yet only 26% mandate participation for GLP-1 coverage. Additionally, just 18% restrict prescriber or pharmacy network options.

5. Transparency remains a concern

22% of employers have a transparent pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) pricing model, such as pass-through, acquisition or cost plus. Assessing and improving visibility enables better decision-making, even before major program design changes. Without greater pricing transparency, employers have limited ability to understand true drug costs, evaluate vendor performance or effectively control overall pharmacy spend.

Putting it All Together

Rising pharmacy costs are not the result of a single trend but a set of interconnected challenges that demand a more intentional response. The data shows employers are beginning to move beyond reactive cost controls and towards strategies that strengthen fundamentals, improve adherence and rethink how pharmacy benefits deliver value. 

Employers should take a fresh, proactive approach by reevaluating their pharmacy strategy to ensure it aligns with current priorities and is equipped to manage costs effectively while continuing to meet the needs of their workforce.

General Disclaimer

This document is not intended to address any specific situation or to provide legal, regulatory, financial, or other advice. While care has been taken in the production of this document, Aon does not warrant, represent or guarantee the accuracy, adequacy, completeness or fitness for any purpose of the document or any part of it and can accept no liability for any loss incurred in any way by any person who may rely on it. Any recipient shall be responsible for the use to which it puts this document. This document has been compiled using information available to us up to its date of publication and is subject to any qualifications made in the document.

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The contents herein may not be reproduced, reused, reprinted or redistributed without the expressed written consent of Aon, unless otherwise authorized by Aon. To use information contained herein, please write to our team.

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