Cigna Unveils Game-Changing Deal: Lower Copays for Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk Weight Loss Medications!

Cigna, a major health insurer, currently covers weight-loss medications like Wegovy and Zepbound for only half of its clients. These drugs can be expensive, which has deterred many employers from offering them. However, Cigna’s pharmacy unit, Evernorth, has recently struck a deal with drug manufacturers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to help lower costs.

Harold Carter, a senior vice president at Evernorth, stated that this partnership aims to provide these medications at a reduced price for employers. The goal is to cap employee costs at $200 per month. For many workers, that’s significantly lower than the cash price they would pay without insurance—often upwards of $600 for Wegovy alone. This move is expected to encourage more employers to provide these beneficial treatments.

Moreover, Evernorth is simplifying the approval process for accessing these medications. Patients can obtain them through local pharmacies or through Evernorth’s delivery service, making it more convenient.

For companies already offering these drugs, the expected savings could be substantial. Carter mentioned that some clients might see cost reductions of nearly 20% under the new arrangement.

In a related update, CVS Caremark announced it will make Wegovy its primary weight-loss drug, meaning Zepbound may no longer be preferred.

Looking at the numbers, the average net price for Wegovy is about $616, down from its listed price of $1,350. Zepbound, listed at around $1,100, has a net price of $725. Industry experts suggest that with these new agreements, prices could drop even further as the government is negotiating Medicare discounts, which will take effect in 2027.

Ben Ippolito, a health economics expert at the American Enterprise Institute, notes that once drug prices are negotiated with Medicare, they likely will influence overall market prices. This means companies like Eli Lilly will need to adapt their pricing strategies to remain competitive.

As businesses prepare for upcoming plan decisions, Evernorth’s new pricing structure is set to start on July 1, potentially changing how many employers approach weight-loss treatments.

For further reading on the ongoing discussions around drug pricing, you can check out the Inflation Reduction Act.

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