WASHINGTON — The Trump administration announced a deal Thursday to expand access to popular obesity drugs made by Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly — offering more coverage for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and lowering the prices across the board.
The administration argued that giving millions more people access to these drugs represents a major victory in the fight against chronic disease. The precise timeline for the coverage expansion and the extent of who will gain access remain unclear.
Medicare and Medicaid will receive substantial discounts on the drugs, and will cover them to help some overweight and obese individuals lose weight. The companies have agreed to sell the treatments for $245 a month across both programs for weight loss and to help treat diabetes, senior administration officials familiar with the deal told reporters. Medicare beneficiaries will have a $50 copay.
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