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White House Seals Deals With Lilly and Novo to Cut GLP-1 Costs, Pilot Medicare Coverage

The agreements tie discounts to tariff relief and FDA priority perks, with Medicare access restricted to a narrow pilot.

Overview

  • Medicare pricing for GLP-1 drugs will be set at $245 per month with a $50 monthly copay for eligible beneficiaries under a CMS pilot expected to start in mid-2026.
  • The TrumpRx portal will offer injectable GLP-1s around $350 per month starting by January and is expected to trend to $245 over two years, outside of insurance.
  • If approved by the FDA, starter doses of upcoming oral obesity pills from Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk must launch at about $149 per month across Medicare, Medicaid and TrumpRx.
  • Eligibility under the Medicare pilot is limited to defined clinical groups based on BMI and comorbidities, with officials estimating roughly 10% of Medicare enrollees qualify.
  • Medicaid programs can opt into the $245 monthly price, most commercially insured patients are not covered by these agreements, and the companies receive three years of tariff relief plus priority regulatory vouchers.