The policy change affects over 50,000 U.S. employees, forcing many to transition from affordable copays to hundreds of dollars in monthly out-of-pocket expenses. One staffer reported costs surging from $25 to approximately $300 per month following the coverage shift. While Cigna maintains that the decision followed a rigorous internal review involving clinical leadership, the company continues to direct staff toward health coaching and lifestyle resources instead of pharmaceutical intervention.

Joe Nadglowski, CEO of the Obesity Action Coalition, criticized the move as a failure to recognize obesity as a legitimate chronic condition requiring science-based care. He stated that employees' personal accounts of their health needs should carry more weight than the company’s current benefits spreadsheet calculations. The OAC maintains that supplementary coaching cannot serve as a substitute for medically appropriate prescriptions, urging the insurer to restore access to these treatments immediately.