Employers Have Rotated Pharmacy Benefits Advisors
Rising drug costs and demand for proactive guidance are forcing firms to reconsider their pharmacy benefit partnerships.
Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Healthcare
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Three out of four US employers have either changed or plan to change their pharmacy benefits advisor within a 24-month window. This shift highlights growing dissatisfaction with current service models and compensation structures as businesses struggle to manage rising pharmaceutical spend.
Why it matters
Employers are under mounting pressure to control costs while navigating complex federal disclosure requirements and the ballooning expense of GLP-1 medications. Many are abandoning long-term advisor relationships that fail to provide proactive guidance or demonstrate clear clinical savings.
A survey of 601 employers found that 39% changed advisors in the past year, with 31% citing opaque compensation arrangements and 28% noting compliance concerns as primary drivers for the shift. The turnover comes as GLP-1 medication spending surged to $71.7 billion in 2023, up from $13.7 billion in 2018.
The details
Businesses are prioritizing transparency over legacy commission models, moving away from advisors who lack clear benchmarks for savings. Companies are simultaneously tightening controls on GLP-1 coverage to manage costs while maintaining benefit eligibility. The pivot is driven by a need for better clinical execution and advisor accountability amid escalating drug price disclosures.
Timeline
2018: GLP-1 spending reached $13.7 billion.
2023: The pharmacy benefits tracker was first conducted.
2023: GLP-1 spending reached $71.7 billion.
June 23 to July 21, 2026: Survey field period.
Past 12 months and next 12 months: Employer pharmacy benefits advisor churn window.
Market Landscape
This advisor turnover follows a pattern of heightened federal focus on drug pricing and disclosure transparency established by the Inflation Reduction Act. It marks a departure from historical passive benefit management toward a more aggressive, cost-conscious procurement strategy.
Owners should audit current pharmacy benefit advisor contracts for fee transparency and clear performance metrics to avoid the rising costs that prompted this industry-wide churn. Evaluate whether your current clinical controls on high-cost medications align with industry standards to prevent uncontrolled plan spending.
The takeaway
The sharp rise in pharmacy benefit advisor turnover signals that firms are no longer willing to tolerate opaque fees and passive service. Use the next contract renewal cycle to demand audited savings reports and proactive guidance on GLP-1 coverage controls.
Further reading
For more on evolving drug coverage strategies, see the latest reporting in Healthcare.
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