Carrum Health and Virta Health Partner to Deliver Seamless, Full-Spectrum Weight Management Solution for Self-Insured Employers

Partnership connects nutrition-first virtual care, medication and surgical pathways for members

SAN FRANCISCO and DENVER, March 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Carrum Health, the leader in value-based Centers of Excellence for specialty care, today announced an exclusive partnership with Virta Health, the leader in reversing metabolic disease, to offer a seamless pathway that integrates Virta's virtual counseling, nutrition coaching and medication management with surgical care through Carrum's top-quality national network.

The result: one coordinated care journey for members whether they need to manage their weight, lose weight to prepare for a musculoskeletal procedure, or require bariatric surgery for medical weight loss.

Weight management challenge facing employers

More than 40 percent of U.S. adults have obesity, a rate that has doubled since the 1980s.¹ The economic toll is staggering. Obesity and other weight concerns cost U.S. businesses an estimated $425.5 billion in 2023, driven by $146.5 billion in excess medical costs and $243 billion in lost workplace productivity.²

GLP-1 medications have emerged as a powerful treatment option, but their cost is placing unprecedented strain on employers. These drugs now account for more than 10 percent of total annual insurance claims for the average employer, and demand continues to rise.³ Employers need a different approach: comprehensive, clinically coordinated weight management that pairs responsible medication use with intensive nutrition counseling and provides a clear pathway to surgery when needed.

"This partnership fills a real clinical gap for employers and their members. Virta offers Carrum members a nutrition-first program with high-touch engagement and responsible GLP-1 prescribing when clinically appropriate. Their outcomes-driven approach to weight management is exactly what our members need, especially those preparing for a procedure," said Matt Eurey, Chief Commercial Officer at Carrum Health. "For Virta members, when weight loss surgery is the right next step, they will be referred directly into Carrum's surgical network. This partnership offers one integrated journey, not a patchwork of disconnected services."

How the partnership will work

Consider an employee who needs a knee or hip replacement but is clinically recommended to lower their body mass index (BMI) to a healthy range so they have the best surgical outcomes. They will then need to lose weight and come back when ready. Without connected services, the procedure gets delayed or may not happen, and their pain continues.

Through this partnership, that employee could enter Virta's high-touch program for nutrition counseling and individualized planning so they can lower their BMI and become eligible for the procedure through Carrum's surgical network. Similarly, when a Carrum member is told bariatric weight loss surgery is not appropriate for them, they will be educated about and referred to Virta as an option to address their weight.

This represents a shift in how organizations can cover GLP-1s for weight loss: outcomes-driven, cost-conscious and designed to reduce long-term reliance on the medications rather than sustain it. Two examples where members could benefit include: Carrum referring members to Virta for weight management support, and Virta referring members to Carrum for surgical evaluation.

"Sustainable weight management requires more than a prescription," said Laura Walmsley, Virta's Chief Commercial Officer. "Our model starts with individualized nutrition therapy, using GLP-1s and other evidence-based therapies thoughtfully and only when clinically appropriate. By joining forces with Carrum, we will be able to offer members the full spectrum of metabolic care: thoughtful medication management, intensive behavioral support and surgical pathways when needed, all coordinated to help patients achieve durable health improvements."

How members benefit

• Coordinated concierge care with warm hand-offs and consistent support throughout their journey
• Carrum members who need to lose weight before surgery can access Virta's service
• Virta members can be referred to Carrum for surgery when appropriate

Why this matters for employers

• A single, coordinated weight management and surgical solution versus juggling multiple disconnected point offerings
• Comprehensive care that enables cost savings with better outcomes
• Simplified, streamlined contracting across both solutions

About Carrum Health

Carrum Health's mission is to change how we pay for and deliver specialty care. We offer self-insured employers and plan sponsors a value-based Centers of Excellence (COE) solution that connects their members with a rigorously vetted network of specialty care providers. Carrum's transparent, all-inclusive bundled pricing, award-winning technology, and dedicated care navigation team help lower costs for both members and employers while delivering a superior member experience. Carrum is independently validated to reduce unnecessary procedures by as much as 30%, lower readmissions by 80%, and save employers up to 45% per episode of surgical care. Learn more at carrumhealth.com.

About Virta Health

Virta Health is a leader in reversing metabolic disease. Through their AI-powered individualized nutrition therapy, Virta combines the best of human care with the speed and precision of technology to empower members to build longer, healthier lives, while reducing or eliminating the need for medications. Virta partners with the nation's largest employers, payers, and pharmacy benefit managers to improve the health of their members while reducing costs. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Virta is on a bold mission to reverse diabetes and obesity in one billion people. For more information, visit www.virtahealth.com.

Media Contacts:

Padma Nagappan
[email protected]

Judy Huang
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SOURCE Carrum Health