Starbucks has built a reputation for offering strong employee benefits. Just last month, the company highlighted an independent analysis from Aon that ranked Starbucks No. 1 in overall hourly benefits value among more than 60 U.S. retail companies.

That is why a newly reported change to its health coverage is especially concerning.

Beginning in October, Starbucks reportedly plans to stop covering GLP-1 medications prescribed for weight loss for benefits-eligible employees. Coverage may remain available when GLP-1 medications are prescribed for other medical conditions.

For employees living with obesity, this decision could mean losing access to a treatment that is helping them manage a serious, chronic disease.

Obesity Care Should Not Be Treated Differently

Obesity is not simply a matter of willpower or personal choices. It is a complex, chronic disease influenced by many biological, genetic, environmental and other factors. Treatment is also not one-size-fits-all and can include nutrition and behavioral interventions, medications, metabolic and bariatric surgery or a combination of approaches. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases recognizes prescription medications, including GLP-1-based treatments, as part of obesity care, and the FDA has approved medications for chronic weight management.

When health coverage excludes treatment for obesity while maintaining access to GLP-1 medications for other health conditions, it reinforces an unacceptable double standard: that obesity does not deserve the same standard of care. People living with obesity deserve better.

The Contrast Is Hard to Ignore

Starbucks is not ignoring the growing use of GLP-1 medications when it comes to its customers.

Earlier this year, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol pointed to the rise of GLP-1 medications as one factor behind the company’s push toward more protein-rich food and beverage choices.

That makes the disconnect even harder to ignore. Starbucks is adapting its products to meet the changing needs of consumers using GLP-1 medications while pulling back access to obesity treatment for its own employees.

Starbucks has said that great customer experiences begin with employees who feel cared for. It has also promoted healthcare as one of the strengths of its benefits package. Now is the time for the company to demonstrate that commitment.

Starbucks Can Choose a Different Path

The Obesity Action Coalition recognizes that employers are facing difficult decisions as healthcare costs increase. Starbucks is not the only employer reconsidering GLP-1 coverage. But rising costs should lead to conversations about sustainable, equitable access to care, not a return to unequal treatment of obesity rooted in outdated beliefs, stigma and bias. People living with obesity deserve the same consideration and access to appropriate treatment as people managing any other chronic disease.

Starbucks has positioned itself as a leader in employee benefits. That leadership should include recognizing obesity as a disease and ensuring employees affected by it can access appropriate, science-based care.

We are calling on Starbucks to reconsider this decision and continue providing equitable coverage for obesity treatment, including GLP-1 medications.

Take Action

Employees living with obesity should not have fewer treatment options simply because of their diagnosis. Use the OAC Action Center today to demand Starbucks to reverse its decision and protect access to obesity care for its employees. Your voice can help remind Starbucks that being a leader in employee benefits means supporting employees living with obesity, too.