LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — The drugs that shrank America’s waistlines are finally trimming their own price tags, though only some patients will feel lighter at the pharmacy counter.

Novo Nordisk is lowering the sticker price on Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus to $675 a month starting Jan. 1, 2027, down from more than $1,000.

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But not everyone benefits. The cuts mainly help insured patients whose coinsurance or deductibles are tied to list prices. Cash buyers already saw earlier reductions, with some doses available directly for $349 a month.

The timing, of course, isn’t accidental. Novo is under pressure from lawmakers over pricing and from rival Eli Lilly. New trial data showed Novo’s next-gen drug CagriSema led to 23% weight loss over 84 weeks, trailing Lilly’s 25.5% result with Zepbound. Novo shares fell 16% after the release.

About 70% of GLP-1 users say cost affects whether they start or stay on the drugs, and only about half of large employers currently cover weight-loss versions, according a nationwide Navitus Health Solutions survey. 

Bottom line: The GLP-1 boom just got cheaper, but only if your insurance plays along.