GLP-1 Costs Are Squeezing Retirement Savings Households
If you take a GLP-1 medication, you may be weighing its out-of-pocket cost against how much you can put toward retirement.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Retirement Planning
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Would you cut retirement savings to keep paying for prescription medication?
Nationwide Retirement Institute released its 2026 Healthcare Costs Survey on GLP-1 drug users, finding that many households are cutting back on retirement savings or taking on debt to keep up with medication costs. The survey covered 1,933 adults and was conducted in summer 2026.
Why it matters
Half of current GLP-1 users worry they may have to choose between paying for medication and saving for retirement, and nearly one in four say keeping medication access matters more than boosting savings. For households already stretched by prescription costs, that trade-off can quietly erode long-term retirement readiness.
Median out-of-pocket GLP-1 spending surpassed $1,500 a year, according to a Virginia Commonwealth University study, and about 17% of current users took on debt to pay for the medication. Among the 1,933 adults surveyed by Nationwide, 14% of current users withdrew money from savings, investments, or retirement accounts.
The players
Nationwide Retirement Institute
The retirement research arm of Nationwide, which sells retirement plans and annuities and publishes consumer-facing surveys on saving and spending.
Virginia Commonwealth University
A public university whose researchers produced a study showing how much households pay out of pocket for GLP-1 medications.
The details
Many households are absorbing GLP-1 costs by redirecting money that would otherwise go to savings or debt repayment. Some users withdraw from savings or retirement accounts, others borrow, and some delay or avoid other medical care, which can compound long-term financial strain. The Virginia Commonwealth University study found uninsured and lower-income populations carry the highest out-of-pocket burden.
Timeline
Summer 2026: Nationwide conducts its survey of 1,933 adults on GLP-1 users.
2032: Social Security benefits may be cut unless Congress acts, according to a projection cited in the research.
Money Landscape
GLP-1 medications have become a major new line item in household health budgets, competing directly with retirement saving. The survey's findings add a retirement-planning dimension to the broader debate over prescription affordability in the United States.
If prescription costs are rising in your household, it may be worth reviewing how those costs compare with your retirement contributions and emergency savings. Households that have already borrowed or withdrawn from retirement accounts to cover medication should consider speaking with a qualified financial professional about the long-term tradeoffs.
The takeaway
Retirement readiness can be affected by ongoing medication costs, not just investment returns. Consider reviewing your household's monthly prescription spending alongside your retirement contribution rate with a qualified financial professional.
What happens next
Social Security benefits may be cut in 2032 unless Congress acts, a projection that could change how much retirees can rely on that income.
Further reading
For broader context on how medical expenses shape long-term saving, explore Retirement Planning coverage on We are Savers.
More information
Find the Nationwide Retirement Institute survey materials on the company's official website.
Live Poll
Would you cut retirement savings to keep paying for prescription medication?
