Story perspectives

CVS Adds Zepbound, Foundayo, Cuts Costs to $25

5/28/2026

Summary

CVS Adds GLP-1

CVS Caremark will reinstate Eli Lilly’s Zepbound on Oct 1 2026 and add oral GLP-1 pill Foundayo to its formulary on Jun 1 2026.
CVS expects a 10%-15% drop in drug costs, letting members pay as little as $25 per month for Zepbound or Foundayo.
The changes will affect roughly 25 million to 30 million Americans and moved Lilly, CVS, and Novo Nordisk stocks, with Lilly up 6%, CVS up 1%, Novo Nordisk down 2%-2.4%.

Summary

CVS Drops Zepbound

A class-action lawsuit filed in September challenges CVS Caremark’s removal of the weight-loss drug Zepbound.
Patients protested, saying they were forced to switch to Wegovy even though many reported better results on Zepbound.
The removal left Lilly’s diabetes drug Mounjaro, which shares Zepbound’s active ingredient, still covered, while Express Scripts and Optum Rx continue to cover Zepbound.

History

Historical Context

The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act, signed by President George W. Bush on Dec 8 2003, created Part D and barred Medicare from negotiating drug prices, shifting bargaining to private insurers such as CVS Caremark. That framework spurred large rebates—projected program costs reached $400 billion—and now the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act lets Medicare negotiate beginning in 2026, reshaping formulary disputes involving companies like Eli Lilly.

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CVS Adds GLP-1

CVS Caremark will reinstate Eli Lilly’s Zepbound on Oct 1 2026 and add oral GLP-1 pill Foundayo to its formulary on Jun 1 2026.
CVS expects a 10%-15% drop in drug costs, letting members pay as little as $25 per month for Zepbound or Foundayo.
The changes will affect roughly 25 million to 30 million Americans and moved Lilly, CVS, and Novo Nordisk stocks, with Lilly up 6%, CVS up 1%, Novo Nordisk down 2%-2.4%.

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