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GLP-1 Studio Podcast

GLP-1 Studio Podcast

Written by: Real Stories. Real Advocacy. Real Impact.
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 Honest conversations with relatable patient stories, expert insights that won’t make your eyes glaze over, and advocacy for affordable access. Hosted by obesity rights advocate advocate Amanda Bonello, the GLP-1 Studio Podcast is where science, lived experience, and a little bit of “I cannot believe we have to fight this hard for healthcare” energy all come together. We cover the wins, the setbacks, the weird side effects, the policy drama, the insurance plot twists — plus the moments of hope that remind you you’re not doing this alone. It’s smart, it’s human, and it’s the kind of honest talk you wish existed in your doctor’s office.

glp1studio.substack.comGLP-1 Studio LLC Hygiene & Healthy Living Physical Illness & Disease
Episodes
  • Your Employer Can Cover Your GLP-1 Without Insurance

    Your Employer Can Cover Your GLP-1 Without Insurance
    Apr 8 2026

    EPISODE SUMMARY

    Have you lost GLP-1 coverage through your employer? Or maybe you never had it to begin with? In this episode, Amanda sits down with Jay Bregman, founder and CEO of Andel, to break down a real solution that exists right now. Andel is one of more than 18 vetted partners inside Eli Lilly's Employer Connect program, and it is built differently from every other option on that list. No PMPM fees. No administrative overhead. No prior authorization. A membership fee under $10 per fill and a direct-to-employer price already lower than Lilly's own cash pay option. Amanda shares the data on why employers dropped coverage in the first place, what it is actually costing them not to cover it, and what the research says about productivity, morale, and talent retention when employees have access or lose it. Plus exactly how to refer your own employer to the program in five minutes without waiting for HR to figure it out.

    GUEST BIO

    Jay Bregman is the founder and CEO of Andel, a healthcare technology platform enabling high-cost medications including GLP-1s to be accessible through employer benefits. A serial entrepreneur with 20-plus years of experience, he previously co-founded Hailo, the first pan-European ride-hailing company later acquired as Lyft Europe, and founded Thimble, acquired by S&P 500 insurer Arch Insurance.

    Website: andel.org LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jaybregman Company: linkedin.com/company/joinandel

    IN THIS EPISODE

    [0:00] Jay's background and how watching Senate drug pricing hearings sparked the idea

    [3:30] What the word "andel" means and why the cooperative model is the foundation

    [6:40] The Lilly Zepbound KwikPen direct-to-employer partnership explained

    [13:00] The full confirmed pricing breakdown and what an employee actually pays

    [17:00] Why the platform fee is the same for small and large employers

    [19:00] How the employee experience works from app download to next-day delivery

    [24:00] Employer ROI, productivity gains, and the business case

    [29:00] The research on employees who lost GLP-1 coverage and what it showed

    [33:00] Why Andel is expanding beyond GLP-1s to all high-cost employer drugs

    [51:00] Nonprofit partnerships and the 5% profit fund for underserved patients

    RESOURCES MENTIONED

    Refer your employer now: andel.org/referral

    Andel main site: andel.org

    Andel on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/joinandel

    Jay Bregman on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jaybregman

    Lilly Employer Connect launch announcement: fiercehealthcare.com/payers/eli-lilly-launches-its-direct-employer-platform-obesity-drugs

    Lilly Direct cash pay pricing: lillydirect.com

    Aon GLP-1 multi-year study: aon.com/en/insights/articles/workforce-focused-analysis-on-glp-1s

    Kristi Turner episode — Lost GLP-1 Coverage Through Employer: glp1studio.substack.com/p/lost-glp1-coverage-through-employer

    Jennifer Sansabrino episode — GLP-1 Coverage for Teens: glp1studio.substack.com/p/glp1-coverage-for-teens-one-moms-fight

    GLP-1 Access and Contact Congress: glp1studio.substack.com/p/contact-congress-for-glp1-access

    Obesity Action Coalition: obesityaction.org

    STRONG Framework white paper: glp1strong.com

    RELATED EPISODES

    Lost GLP-1 Coverage Through Your Employer — Kristi Turner glp1studio.substack.com/p/lost-glp1-coverage-through-employer

    GLP-1 Coverage for Teens — Jennifer Sansabrino glp1studio.substack.com/p/glp1-coverage-for-teens-one-moms-fight



    Get full access to GLP-1 Studio at glp1studio.substack.com/subscribe
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    54 mins
  • Bariatric Surgery vs GLP-1 Medication: Treating Obesity as a Disease

    Bariatric Surgery vs GLP-1 Medication: Treating Obesity as a Disease
    Mar 22 2026
    Episode Title: Bariatric Surgery and GLP-1s Are the Same Treatment — with Stephanie Wagner, MS RDN | The Bariatric Food CoachEpisode Description:If you've ever felt like you failed after bariatric surgery — or after stopping a GLP-1 — this episode is for you. Registered dietitian and Bariatric Food Coach Stephanie Wagner, MS RDN joins Amanda Bonello to break down exactly how bariatric surgery works, why it boosts your body's own GLP-1 production, and what actually happens when weight comes back. Spoiler: it's not a character flaw. It's biology.They cover every type of bariatric surgery (sleeve, bypass, lap band, duodenal switch, SADI-S), the hormonal science behind each one, and why adding a GLP-1 medication after surgery isn't starting over — it's continuing your treatment. Plus the insurance code that might be unlocking free dietitian visits you didn't know you had.In This Episode:Why bariatric nutrition and GLP-1 nutrition are almost identical — same disease, different toolsA plain-English breakdown of gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, lap band, duodenal switch, and SADI-SHow bariatric surgery hijacks your hormones (in the best way) — and why that effect fades over timeWeight regain after bariatric surgery: the biology behind it and why you never failed your treatmentMotivational interviewing and why the counseling side of obesity care matters as much as the clinical sideThe insurance code 97802 — call your insurer and ask if you have Medical Nutrition Therapy benefits. Many private plans cover unlimited dietitian visits at zero out-of-pocket costHydration tips that actually stick, straight from Atomic HabitsQuote of the Episode:"If we truly viewed obesity as a chronic disease… then bariatric surgery and GLP-1 medications are treatments, not tests you pass or fail." — Stephanie Wagner, MS RDNAbout Steph WagnerStephanie Wagner, MS RDN is a registered dietitian nutritionist specializing in bariatric surgery patients since 2009 and the founder of Bariatric Food Coach. She is the author of Best Fork Forward: Everyday Dinners After Weight Loss Surgery — 60 high-protein recipes, 30 minutes or less, with a photo for every single one.🌐 bariatricfoodcoach.com📸 Instagram: @bariatricfoodcoach📘 Facebook | 🎥 YouTube | 📌 Pinterest: Bariatric Food Coach📖 Best Fork Forward on Amazon [💰 AFFILIATE LINK]Premier Access Membership from $19/month — HSA/FSA eligible. Nearly 700 recipes, GLP-1 video course, AI meal planner, and an active community running since 2015.Resources MentionedBest Fork Forward by Steph Wagner — Amazon [💰 AFFILIATE]Atomic Habits by James Clear — habit science behind the hydration tips [💰 AFFILIATE]Insurance code 97802 — Medical Nutrition Therapy. Call your insurer and ask.doTERRA food-grade essential oils — one drop in your water bottle, lasts forever, costs almost nothing[BACKLINK: Dr. Lindsay Ogle episode — she introduced Amanda to Steph]Timestamps00:00 — What is a Bariatric Food Coach?02:25 — Dietitian vs. nutritionist vs. health coach: what actually matters07:27 — Steph's own weight loss journey and the stigma inside the profession10:07 — Why nutrition counseling fails people — and what motivational interviewing fixes16:28 — Amanda's family member: GLP-1, then surgery, no support throughout22:22 — Every type of bariatric surgery explained in plain English29:28 — The shame of weight regain and why you never failed your treatment30:05 — How bariatric surgery boosts natural GLP-1 — and what happens when that fades33:48 — "You never fail chemotherapy." The analogy that changes everything39:11 — Insurance code 97802 and free dietitian access44:54 — Best Fork Forward, the AI meal planner, and the online community51:05 — Hydration tips that actually workSubscribe to GLP-1 Studio on Substack for the full written companion piece to this episode — with the science sourced and linked. glp1studio.substack.comWhen you advocate for yourself, you advocate for all of us.Disclosure: GLP-1 Studio is a for-profit media company founded by Amanda Bonello. The GLP-1 Collective is a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit, also founded by Amanda Bonello. These are two distinct legal entities. GLP-1 Studio does not receive funding from the GLP-1 Collective, and the Collective does not direct or fund the editorial content produced by GLP-1 Studio. This content was not sponsored or commissioned by any pharmaceutical company, telehealth provider, or clinical organization. Steph Wagner did not pay for her appearance. This content contains affiliate links. If you purchase through those links, GLP-1 Studio may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Get full access to GLP-1 Studio at glp1studio.substack.com/subscribe
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    58 mins
  • Safe Drugs Act & State Bills Threaten Compounded GLP-1 Access

    Safe Drugs Act & State Bills Threaten Compounded GLP-1 Access
    Feb 12 2026

    Here’s a clean, professional Show Notes section you can use:

    Show Notes

    In this episode, I’m joined by Sabina Hemmi, founder of GLP Winner, to break down the growing wave of federal and state legislation targeting compounded GLP-1 medications.

    We discuss:

    Why transparent GLP-1 pricing matters

    How GLP Winner helps patients compare clinics without deceptive funnels

    The federal Safe Drugs Act and emerging state bills

    How some legislation could impact all compounding, not just GLP-1s

    What this means for hospice care, pediatrics, veterinary medicine, and more

    Why patient advocacy at the state level matters right now

    The real-life side effects and lived experience behind the policy debate

    If you live in a state where legislation is moving, contact your representative and share your story. Patient voices are making a difference.

    Connect with Sabina

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawliepopInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawliepops/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lawliepopX/Twitter: https://x.com/lawliepopSubstack: https://substack.com/@lawliepopLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabina-hemmi/

    Resources

    Visit GLP-1 Studio for the latest bill updates and advocacy tools.



    Get full access to GLP-1 Studio at glp1studio.substack.com/subscribe
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    1 hr and 1 min
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