While some may stand to gain access to the drugs under these categories, another factor in assessing the deal’s impact is that millions are expected to lose federal health coverage under the Trump administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
Unmatched prices
In addition to the deals for federal programs, the administration also announced new direct-to-consumer prices. Currently, people with a prescription can buy the most popular drugs, Wegovy and Zepbound, directly from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, respectively, for $499 each. Under the new deal, Wegovy will be available for $350, as will Ozempic. And Zepbound will be available at “an average” of $346. While the prices are lower, the out-of-pocket costs are still likely to be more than most people would pay if they went through an insurance plan, and paying outside their insurance policies means that the payments won’t be counted toward out-of-pocket maximums and other tallies. Generally, experts expect that direct-to-consumer sales won’t play a significant role in lowering overall drug costs.
It remains unclear if Trump’s deal will have any effect on GLP-1 prices for those on commercial insurance plans.
Trump hailed the deals, calling them “most favored-nation pricing.” But even with the lower prices for some,