Trump's Plans to Reduce Costs of Weight Loss Drugs and Expand Access

Donald Trump announced a significant plan on Thursday aimed at reducing the costs of weight loss drugs and expanding access to these medications for individuals on public health insurance. According to The Guardian, the plan will make oral versions of GLP-1s available at $150 per month for starting doses, with injectable versions from manufacturers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk seeing reduced prices that will average around $350 initially and trend down to $245 per month over the next two years.

For Medicare patients, the cost will be $245 per month, with only $50 required as a co-pay. This marks a new coverage opportunity, as previously, only patients with diabetes or certain comorbidities could have these drugs covered.

The administration projects that these changes could lead to a collective weight loss of 125 million pounds among the American public within a year, as stated by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Trump emphasized the affordability of these medications, criticizing the previous administration's efforts and declaring that such progress could not have been achieved under President Biden's policies.

The drugs, which include well-known brand names like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, are often considered crucial in addressing obesity, but their high costs—sometimes exceeding $1,000 a month—have limited access for many.

The Trump administration's initiative includes listing these medications on TrumpRx, a public website for prescription drugs that allows direct purchases from manufacturers. The announcement aligns with Trump's broader strategy to negotiate lower prescription drug prices, promoting a most-favored-nation pricing model where U.S. prices would align with those in other countries.

This move comes at a time when healthcare affordability remains a significant political issue, with Senator Dick Durbin noting that healthcare has emerged as a major factor in elections, indicating its importance in upcoming electoral cycles.

The potential impact of Trump's plan could shift the healthcare landscape, as it aims to democratize access to these weight loss treatments and address the obesity epidemic in the United States.