Access to the drugs has been a consistent problem for patients because of their cost — around $500 a month for higher doses — and insurance coverage has been spotty.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced a deal Thursday to cut prices and expand coverage on popular weight-loss drugs Zepbound and Wegovy.
Earlier this week, people familiar with the discussions told The Wall Street Journal the agreement involved Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, both GLP-1 medications that currently list for over $1,000 a month without insurance.
The reported deal would make the lowest doses of the drugs available through the administration’s TrumpRx initiative for as little as $149 a month in some cases.
Coverage of the drugs for obesity will expand to Medicare patients starting next year, according to the administration, which said some lower prices also will be phased in for patients without coverage. Starting doses of new, pill versions of the treatments also will cost $149 a month if they are approved.
Thursday’s announcement is the latest attempt by the Trump administration to rein in soaring drug prices in its efforts to address cost-of-living concerns among voters. Drugmakers Pfizer and AstraZeneca recently agreed to lower the cost of prescription drugs for Medicaid after an executive order in May set a deadline for drugmakers to electively lower prices or face new limits on what the government will pay.
As with the other deals, it’s not clear how much the price drop will be felt by consumers. Drug prices can vary based on the competition for treatments and insurance coverage.
Weight-loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy are already being offered to non-insured customers at several stores, including Costco, Sam’s Club and Hy-Vee.
Costco, Sam’s Club and Hy-Vee will all offer the medications at a fraction of the cost, selling for $499 a month. Customers do not need insurance to buy the drugs, though they still need a valid prescription.
A month’s supply of Wegovy can cost up to $1,350 without insurance or discounts, according to GoodRx.
Both drugs have the same main ingredient, Semaglutide, but differ in dosage. Wegovy is designed for chronic weight management, while Ozempic is meant to treat Type 2 diabetes.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.