Tejal Somvanshi
On November 6, 2025, President Donald Trump announced agreements with pharmaceutical companies Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to reduce prices for GLP-1 obesity medications. The announcement took place in the Oval Office as part of the administration’s Most Favored Nation pricing initiative, which ties U.S. drug prices to lower international prices.
The agreements establish new pricing for medications including Wegovy (semaglutide) and Zepbound (tirzepatide) through multiple channels: the government’s TrumpRx.gov platform, Medicare, and Medicaid. According to the White House fact sheet, these changes allow Medicare coverage of obesity drugs for qualifying patients starting mid-2026.
New GLP-1 Drug Pricing Structure
How the Trump administration’s pharmaceutical agreements change access and costs for obesity medications in 2025-2026
Price Changes for GLP-1 Medications
Comparison of previous list prices with new pricing announced through the Most Favored Nation agreements
Implementation Details and Coverage Pathways
The pricing structure operates through three channels. The TrumpRx.gov platform, which launched in November 2025, connects patients to manufacturer pricing for cash purchases. For injectable GLP-1s like Wegovy and Zepbound, the platform lists prices at $350 and approximately $346 respectively, with a stated goal to trend toward $245 over two years according to senior administration officials.
Medicare will cover these medications at $245 per month for qualifying beneficiaries, who will pay a $50 copay. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will define specific eligibility criteria, though administration officials indicated coverage focuses on patients with obesity and related comorbidities. State Medicaid programs will have access to the same $245 pricing structure.
For oral GLP-1 medications pending FDA approval, including Eli Lilly’s orforglipron and potential oral formulations from Novo Nordisk, starting doses will be priced at $150 per month across all three channels. The FDA announced on November 6, 2025 that it awarded priority review vouchers to accelerate review timelines for these applications.
Key Data Points from the Agreement
Quantified impacts and commitments from the pharmaceutical pricing announcement
Timeline of Policy Development
The sequence of regulatory actions and announcements leading to the pricing agreements
Access Pathways for GLP-1 Medications
Three channels through which patients can obtain discounted obesity medications
Medicare Beneficiaries
- $50/month copay for covered uses
- Program price level set at $245/month
- Coverage enables obesity treatment access starting mid-2026
- Eligibility criteria to be defined by CMS
- Applies to all approved injectable and oral GLP-1 drugs
- First-time Medicare coverage for obesity medications
Medicaid Participants
- State programs have access to $245/month pricing
- Covers all approved GLP-1 medication uses
- Available across all dose levels
- Implementation determined by individual states
- Expands on current limited state-level coverage
- Pricing guaranteed through Most Favored Nation agreement
TrumpRx Platform
- Wegovy/Ozempic: $350/month via TrumpRx.gov
- Zepbound: approximately $346/month average
- Oral GLP-1s (if approved): $150/month starting dose
- Available to all Americans regardless of insurance
- Cash-pay direct-to-consumer pricing
- Platform connects to manufacturer offers
U.S. Manufacturing Commitments
Domestic facility investments pledged by pharmaceutical companies as part of the pricing agreements
Summary of Announced Changes
The November 6, 2025 announcement from the White House detailed pricing agreements with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk establishing new price points for GLP-1 obesity medications. The agreements set prices at $350 for Wegovy and approximately $346 for Zepbound via TrumpRx.gov, with Medicare and Medicaid program pricing at $245 per month and a $50 Medicare copay.
The FDA confirmed it awarded priority review vouchers to expedite review processes for pending obesity medication applications. Medicare coverage for obesity treatment will begin mid-2026 with eligibility parameters to be established by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The pricing structure operates under the administration’s Most Favored Nation framework, which ties U.S. drug prices to lower international rates.
Both pharmaceutical companies committed $37 billion combined to U.S. manufacturing facility development. The announcement covered current injectable medications and future oral formulations pending regulatory approval.
