President Donald Trump announced that his administration has finally struck a deal with Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly to reduce the cost of their GLP-1 weight loss drugs, Wegovy and Zepbound.
Currently, both drugs cost over $1,000 a month, though some cash-paying patients can access lower prices directly through the companies or retailers like Costco and Walmart.
Monthly out-of-pocket costs will be ranged from $50 to $350, based on the dosage and insurance coverage.
The deals aim to make these treatments more accessible without being heavy on pocket for millions, though it remains unclear who will benefit immediately, as a few patients are already covered for different conditions.
Medicare cannot cover medications for weight loss alone. Under the agreement, TrumpRx, the government’s prescription discount platform, will provide medicines beginning from $350 every month, sharply declining to $250 within two years.
It is pertinent to mention that Medicaid and Medicare will cover the weight-loss pills for eligible conditions, with Medicare patients paying no more than a $50 copay.
Beginning doses of Wegovy and Zepbound have been approved yet. The administration further reached similar pricing deals with Pfizer and AstraZeneca for certain Medicaid drugs.
This progressive initiative is a part of Trump’s “most favored nation” effort to reduce US prescription drug prices.
The administration is planning to make the new pricing available later this year for direct-to-consumer purchases and by mid-2026 for Medicare coverage.
