As glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist therapies (GLP-1s) transform care by offering new hope in managing persistent chronic health conditions such as diabetes and obesity, Express Scripts is making an increasing number of these medications more available, more accessible, and more affordable.
Later this year, Express Scripts will add GLP-1s for weight loss to the Patient Assurance Program, enabling savings, greater availability, and wider access for medications to treat cardiodiabesity. The Patient Assistance Program now includes insulin and non-insulin diabetes treatments and cardiovascular therapies including GLP-1s.
The expansion was made possible by our collaboration with Lilly and Novo Nordisk, said Harold Carter, Pharm.D., senior vice president of trade relations at Express Scripts. With these agreements, the weight loss drugs Wegovy and Zepbound are being added to the solution, and diabetes medications Ozempic and Rybelsus will return to the Patient Assurance Program.
When Express Scripts members are covered by participating health plans and employers, the program will continue to cap out-of-pocket costs for insulin and non-insulin diabetes treatments at $25 for up to a 34-day supply or $75 for a 90-day supply.
Express Scripts also announced updates recently to another of its GLP-1 solutions, EncircleRx, which has more than 9 million enrolled patients and has saved health plans $200 million since 2024. The monthly copay for GLP-1 weight loss medicines will be limited to no more than $200, an estimated savings of up to $3,600 annually, while health plan sponsors will see a significant reduction in the net cost per prescription of GLP-1 medications.
“These actions illustrate two important factors in controlling drug spend while providing access to the medications patients need,” Carter said. “Not only does it show how seamless and affordable medications can be when manufacturers come to the table and work around the common goal of patient affordability, it underscores how Express Scripts is constantly innovating to offer solutions that help the pharmacy benefit work as it should.”
The Patient Assurance program improves member affordability of select brand-name single-source drugs, increasing adherence and lowering downstream medical costs. The program sets a predictable copay, no more than $25, for up to a 34-day supply for participating diabetes, weight loss and cardiovascular therapies.
