Trump Administration Announces Agreements to Lower Cost of Weight Loss Drugs

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that his administration has reached agreements with pharmaceutical companies Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly to reduce the out-of-pocket costs of their GLP-1 weight loss medications, Wegovy and Zepbound.

Under the agreements, monthly out-of-pocket costs could range from $50 to $350, depending on dosage and insurance coverage, according to a senior administration official. The drugs currently carry list prices exceeding $1,000 per month, though both manufacturers have introduced discounted options for cash-paying customers purchasing directly through their websites.

Coverage and Accessibility Questions

While the agreements aim to improve affordability for millions of Americans who have struggled to access these medications, health policy experts note significant uncertainty about immediate beneficiaries. Many insurance plans currently do not cover GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, and those with coverage typically pay substantially less than list prices already.

A key limitation involves Medicare coverage. Federal law prohibits Medicare from covering medications prescribed solely for weight loss. Some Medicare patients with obesity-related medical conditions like diabetes already have access to these drugs, but it remains unclear whether the new agreements would extend coverage to beneficiaries seeking the medications for weight loss alone.

During a White House briefing, Trump stated that Medicare and Medicaid "will finally cover the cost of the weight loss drugs for millions of patients suffering from obesity," though the specifics of this coverage expansion have not been detailed.

TrumpRx Pricing Structure

Through TrumpRx, the administration's cash-based discount platform for prescription drugs, the average monthly cost for Wegovy and Zepbound will start at $350 and decrease to $250 within two years, according to senior administration officials.