The White House may be set to announce a significant deal that could bring down the cost of weight loss medications, marking a major shift in President Trump's efforts to combat high prescription costs.
According to sources familiar with the plan, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, two major pharmaceutical companies producing popular GLP-1 medications, are poised to agree to lower their prices. The deal would make the lowest doses of Zepbound and Wegovy, two blockbuster weight loss drugs, available for as low as $149 a month.
In exchange, Medicare would provide coverage for certain beneficiaries who pay for these drugs out-of-pocket. However, it's unclear whether this reduced price point would apply to private insurance or Medicaid patients in the long run. The details of the deal remain uncertain, and both companies have yet to confirm any official agreement with the Trump administration.
This proposed agreement marks a significant development in Trump's ongoing efforts to lower prescription drug prices, which he has dubbed his "most favored nation" initiative. Reviving this push after failing to achieve it during his first term, Trump aimed to use executive orders and voluntary agreements to drive down costs.
Earlier this year, the administration reached deals with Pfizer and AstraZeneca to lower costs for certain prescription medications under Medicaid. While a more comprehensive agreement remains elusive, recent comments from Trump suggest that progress is being made on reducing prices.
Costco recently announced plans to sell Wegovy and another diabetes medication, Ozempic, at significantly reduced rates for customers without insurance. Lilly has also rolled out lower-cost options for people paying cash, marking a shift towards increased transparency about the high costs of these medications.
Medicare currently covers Wegovy for heart disease patients and Zepbound for sleep apnea but not exclusively for weight loss purposes. The GLP-1 drugs are set to be included in upcoming Medicare drug price negotiations under the Inflation Reduction Act, with new prices expected to be finalized by mid-November.
According to sources familiar with the plan, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, two major pharmaceutical companies producing popular GLP-1 medications, are poised to agree to lower their prices. The deal would make the lowest doses of Zepbound and Wegovy, two blockbuster weight loss drugs, available for as low as $149 a month.
In exchange, Medicare would provide coverage for certain beneficiaries who pay for these drugs out-of-pocket. However, it's unclear whether this reduced price point would apply to private insurance or Medicaid patients in the long run. The details of the deal remain uncertain, and both companies have yet to confirm any official agreement with the Trump administration.
This proposed agreement marks a significant development in Trump's ongoing efforts to lower prescription drug prices, which he has dubbed his "most favored nation" initiative. Reviving this push after failing to achieve it during his first term, Trump aimed to use executive orders and voluntary agreements to drive down costs.
Earlier this year, the administration reached deals with Pfizer and AstraZeneca to lower costs for certain prescription medications under Medicaid. While a more comprehensive agreement remains elusive, recent comments from Trump suggest that progress is being made on reducing prices.
Costco recently announced plans to sell Wegovy and another diabetes medication, Ozempic, at significantly reduced rates for customers without insurance. Lilly has also rolled out lower-cost options for people paying cash, marking a shift towards increased transparency about the high costs of these medications.
Medicare currently covers Wegovy for heart disease patients and Zepbound for sleep apnea but not exclusively for weight loss purposes. The GLP-1 drugs are set to be included in upcoming Medicare drug price negotiations under the Inflation Reduction Act, with new prices expected to be finalized by mid-November.
. It's like, finally, some pharmaceutical companies are willing to take a hit on their profits to help people who need these meds for weight loss and other health stuff. I mean, $149 a month is still pretty pricey, but it's a start 
. And good on Trump for trying to tackle this issue, even if it wasn't super successful last time around 
. The fact that Lilly and Novo Nordisk are willing to make a deal like this shows they're starting to listen to the public and realize these meds aren't just for rich people who can afford them 
. Fingers crossed the reduced prices stick around and more companies follow suit 
this is kinda cool that the White House is trying to make weight loss meds more affordable but think about it... we're still talking about 2 big pharma companies agreeing to lower their prices without any real commitment from private insurers. It's like they're just doing this for the sake of optics, you know? 
$149 a month for these meds might be a game-changer for some people but what about those who can't afford it even with reduced prices? We need more transparency and regulation around these prices before we start celebrating. 
hopefully it'll trickle down to private insurance and medicaid too 
but still wondering what's in it for the pharma companies 
also, when can we expect these prices to actually go into effect? 
I think this is a huge win for regular folks who wanna get healthier without breaking the bank 
. It's about time we start seeing some real change on this front! The fact that companies are starting to lower prices voluntarily is a good sign, but I'm hoping for more concrete actions from the government soon 
. Let's see if this deal really sticks and actually saves people money 
one thing is for sure though, we need more transparency about these costs and how they're set 
. The problem is, we still don't know if private insurance will follow suit or if Medicaid patients will be left behind 
. And let's not forget that these meds are still super pricey compared to other meds on the market 
.