Thanks to a new federal deal with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, the makers of Ozempic, Vigovi, Movanjaro and Zipbound, people taking GLP-1 meds could see lower costs in 2026.
If you’re paying cash for GLP-1, prices will drop to $350 or less per month, with reports that it could drop to $245 within two years, according to a White House press release. The pill version of Vigovi — pending approval from the Food and Drug Administration — could cost about $150 a month.
This is a change from today’s prices, where most GLP-1 drugs list over $1000. Even warehouse stores like Sam’s Club and Costco sell Ozempic and Vigovi for $499 out of pocket.
I got admitted Medicare? According to the announcement, the weight loss drug costs $245 with a $50 monthly copay. But the great news is that you can get coverage up to today, Medicare covers GLP-1 drugs For people with diabetes or cardiovascular health risks, but legally it cannot cover them for weight loss.
While governments can’t change Medicare policy overnight, they can implement temporary pilot programs that test changes in Medicare law, says Juliet Kubsky, deputy director of programs on Medicare policy for KFF. “Absent a change in the law, they don’t have the authority to expand that coverage unless they exercise that kind of demonstration authority,” she says.
This low-cost GLP-1 bonanza will begin next year via tromprix.gov, a new official website where consumers will be able to buy drugs directly from manufacturers. It’s not yet clear how (or if) the deal will affect what people pay through them. Health insurance.
“It’s going to depend on what kind of insurance a person has,” says Stacey Dusitzina, a professor of health policy at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. For example, she says, Eli Lilly has reported that these lower prices will not be available in the commercial market. “This may mean that commercial plans will take steps to consider ways to limit coverage or encourage their members to buy drugs outside of insurance,” Dostzena says.
According to data from the research organization RAND, 1 in 1 in 2025 report using a GLP-1 agonist in 2025, and another 14% are interested in taking one. Although these drugs were originally used to treat diabetes and later for weight loss. , research suggests they have positive effects on inflammation, addiction, migraines, sleep deprivation and dementia, among other conditions.
