Highmark Chooses Noom: Weight Management Solution for Employer Health Plans

At Highmark, our LivingHealth strategy is designed to treat each of our customers as a whole person, focusing on the physical, mental, and social aspects of health to meet members where they are on their health journey. We consistently look for ways to keep our members healthy with preventive care and interventions that can stabilize and stave off chronic disease. 

Our collaboration with Noom creates a Highmark-specific weight health program, with journeys for weight management, diabetes prevention, and diabetes lifestyle. We launched this new solution on January 1,2026, with availability for almost 2 million commercial plan members.

Highmark chose to collaborate with Noom because of their positive alignment with our goal to improve the health outcomes and experience of those we serve, particularly through their focus on sustained engagement of their users. This solution isn't just about getting people to sign up; it is about driving behavior changes and sustained improvement in health. The Noom launch has been one of the most successful new solutions we've ever offered, with an overwhelming positive and rapid engagement reception from our member base.

The value of an obesity weight loss program for employers

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, almost 74% of American adults age 20+ are overweight. Data shows that 40% ofthose adults are classified as obese.¹

Researchers estimate that excess body weight cost employers — and employees — more than $425 billion in 2023.² Obesity has a direct correlation with increased risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.³

"Our strategy as a company is to help our customers and members better manage and ultimately get ahead of these conditions," says Maria Baker, vice president of Product Experience Strategy & Operations for Highmark Health. "We call this moving care upstream, getting involved early and partnering with people before they get sick. Because when you're already unhealthy, it becomes daunting and often difficult to engage in getting better."

"There are people who wake up every day and want to be engaged in their health. No matter how healthy or unhealthy they are, they pay attention. Conversely, there are people who aren't interested and will always struggle to be active in managing their health … and everything in between. The goal of our Noom collaboration is to meet people wherever they are on that spectrum."

Helpful weight loss app with trusted brand familiarity

Noom: Weight Management focuses on behavior changes to drive long-term health outcomes. Members learn how to achieve and sustain a healthy weight by making healthier choices related to nutrition, hydration, movement, and stress management.

The digital program combines behavioral science and advanced technology for an always-on solution. Members can engage with education that helps them understand their relationship with food and why they eat the way that they do. Noom also teaches members how to handle weight loss setbacks without giving up. 

"The program focuses on whole health, which is more than managing to a specific weight or diagnosis," stresses Baker. "It's about getting members engaged and creating lasting habits that support overall well-being. Noom reinforces positive behaviors that enable change. "

There's a variety of tools and education on the app. Beyond weight and food intake, members can track and manage fitness, water intake, mood, and stress. There are intentional parallel paths to both prevent and improve chronic health conditions, including prediabetes and diabetes.

Noom: Weight Management provides personalized weight loss plans

To start with Noom, members complete an onboarding assessment that helps determine their needs from the program. The program personalizes the experience based on weight loss goals, the presence of diabetes or prediabetes, and/or existing GLP-1 use. 

Noom's platform integrates psychology-based lessons with real-time tools that include:

• Body scan technology that calculates body fat and composition.
• Daily prompts and educational content.
• Fitness tracking that syncs with wearable devices.
• Food logging by photo and product barcoding.
• Optional one-on-one coaching to bolster engagement.
• Progress tracking and incremental updates (higher fitness goals, etc.).
• Self-reported mood and stress measurement.
• Water intake tracking to ensure proper hydration.

"This has been, by and large, one of the most successful launches we've ever had," says Baker. "The percentage of  members that qualify for the prediabetes track is higher than we anticipated. That tells us a lot about increasing health risks among our member population."

""These members could end up in a health crisis without a proper prediabetes intervention, especially because
people don't typically identify as 'prediabetic.' Now, with Noom, those members have better tools and information  vailable to them. They have help get ahead offuture problems and avoid chronic conditions."

Fee-for-use model cuts the cost of this employee benefit

The flexibility and personalization of Noom: Weight Management increases engagement among members who join the program. However,there are times when usage may fall off.

Employers only pay for a member's enrollment in the program when it is being used. Several log-ins per month constitute active usage. If a member stops for a vacation or holiday, for example, their employer will get a cost break for that  member.

"Everyone is excited about Noom and where we are going with the collaboration," adds Baker. "It's early in the launch, but we are seeing strong indicators of success and will continue to measure outcomes over time. Metrics include weight loss, prediabetes and diabetes markers, and body mass index (BMI) and other indicators."

Behavioral change for a healthier relationship with weight and food

Weight health is also more than weight loss. Noom can also identify members who struggle with disordered eating and other behaviors that may require additional support. These indicators create an important stopgap tomake sure that people are engaging in the most important programs for them.

 Identifying a member's struggle, such as disordered eating, creates an opportunity reach out. Highmark can share options for treatment or mental well-being support to prioritize the right need and care path for the individual. 

"From an employer standpoint, Noom can help employees feel better," states Baker. "Better health means greater productivity and fewer absences, including time off for medical care. Highmark intentionally integrates Noom into the broader wellness ecosystem that we offer to employers." 

Weight management can be life-changing, especially for people who are dealing with chronic illness due to or exacerbated by obesity. Find out how you can offer Noom: Weight Management to your employees. 

The Noom experience integrates with the My Highmark app. Members can also use Noom via the web portal at MyHighmark.com. Contact your Highmark account manager or employee health insurance broker to learn more.