Oh Boy, Oh Boy! Cheaper Weight Loss Drugs?! Even I Can Afford Those Now!

Those Sky High Prices! Phooey!

Aw phooey! Yours truly Donald Duck reporting live from my houseboat! Seems like those fancy weight loss drugs Wegovy and Zepbound were only covered by HALF of Cigna's clients. Half! Can you believe it? The reason? They were pricier than a gold plated yacht I tell ya! It's enough to make a duck pull out his feathers! I needed to take action as my physician has warned me to take care of my weight. He said 'Donald you're not getting any younger and all that chili and corn you're eating ain't helping!' Rude right? Well I'll show him with the help of these new discounts!

Evernorth to the Rescue!

But hold on to your hats folks! My pals at Evernorth (that's Cigna's pharmacy benefits folks) have swooped in like a superhero! They've quacked a deal with Ely Lilly and Novo Nordisk to bring those prices down. Harold Carter a big shot at Evernorth says this is especially for folks who weren't covering the drugs before. They're gonna make it cheaper for the bosses and cap the member's cost at $200 a month! Two hundred clams! That's still a lot of money but better than nothing right? As my Uncle $crooge would say 'Every penny counts!'.

Cheaper Than a Plate of Corn!

Get this folks: if you had to pay cash for these drugs without insurance (which let me tell you is highway robbery!) you'd be paying way more! Like almost double! But with this new deal employers can get the drugs for a steal! Or at least a slightly less expensive steal. Plus getting approval for the drugs will be easier than ordering a pizza and you can get them at the same price whether you go to a store or have them delivered! Now that's what I call service! I'll make sure to get my fair share oh boy oh boy!

Savings Galore!

Now if your boss already covers these weight loss wonders don't think you're left out! Evernorth says they expect those clients to see almost a 20% reduction in costs! Twenty percent! That's like getting a free tank of gas for my car the trusty if slightly rusty 'Donald's Dream'! And that's thanks to Evernorth squeezing those drug companies for better pricing all while keeping both drugs available. It's like they used a bit of 'Duck Luck' I tell you.

The Competition Heats Up!

But wait there's more drama! CVS Caremark those other pharmacy fellas made a deal to make Novo's Wegovy their top weight loss drug. Which means Lilly's Zepbound might get the cold shoulder. Ouch! Competition is tough even in the weight loss drug biz! Eli Lilly says they'll keep working to find ways to help folks get Zepbound. Good on them for not giving up! I hope they continue the good work and not quack under pressure.

The Future is Frugal (Hopefully)!

While Cigna didn't spill the beans on the exact discounts experts say big bosses and insurers have been getting 30% to 50% off the list price! That’s still a lot but it's getting better. These deals could bring prices down even more especially with the government negotiating Medicare discounts. By 2027 Novo Nordisk's drugs might be the top dogs in Medicare which could drive prices down for everyone! Now that's something to quack about! Evernorth's new pricing program starts in the second half of the year. Employers will then decide on their plans for next year. Let's hope they choose wisely and make these drugs affordable for everyone! As for me I'm gonna go celebrate with a… maybe a *small* piece of cake.