CVS Health Restores Coverage of Eli Lilly's Zepbound and Adds New Obesity Pill to Drug Plans

CVS Health restores Eli Lilly's Zepbound to coverage on October 1, 2026, and adds Foundayo, also called Forza, on June 1, 2026. The changes affect CVS Caremark's formulary representing 25 million to 30 million Americans. CVS dropped Zepbound in a 2025 deal with Novo Nordisk. The expanded coverage makes both drugmakers co-preferred and expects to drive 10% to 15% additional savings across the weight management category.

CVS formulary coverage changes

• ▪CVS struck a deal with Novo Nordisk in 2025 to make Wegovy the preferred obesity treatment on CVS standard plans while dropping coverage of Eli Lilly's Zepbound.
• ▪CVS Health will start covering Eli Lilly's newly approved Foundayo obesity pill on June 1, 2026.
• ▪Plan sponsors that adopt CVS Caremark's standard formulary can opt out of covering GLP-1s for weight loss.
• ▪GLP-1 medications from both Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk will be co-preferred options on CVS Caremark's standard commercial formulary template.
• ▪CVS Health will restore coverage of Eli Lilly's Zepbound weight loss injection on its standard drug plans on October 1, 2026.
• ▪CVS Caremark's standard commercial formulary template represents 25 million to 30 million Americans.

Lilly-Novo competitive positioning

• ▪The CVS formulary changes put Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk on equal footing on major drug plans in the weight loss market.
• ▪Novo Nordisk's Wegovy injection and newly launched Wegovy pill will retain their preferred status on CVS formularies.
• ▪Eli Lilly's Foundayo pill will be covered by all three of the nation's largest pharmacy benefit managers.

PBM negotiation strategy

• ▪Both Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk partnered with CVS to make GLP-1s for weight loss more affordable through pricing negotiations.
• ▪CVS Caremark is one of the nation's largest pharmacy benefit managers.
• ▪CVS Caremark is hired by employers, government entities, unions and other health plans to negotiate the cost of medications included on formularies chosen by plan sponsors.
• ▪CVS Caremark was the first major pharmacy benefit manager to spur competition in the GLP-1 market through its 2025 agreement with Novo Nordisk.
• ▪CVS expects the formulary changes to drive 10% to 15% additional savings across the weight management category.

Patient access implications

• ▪The expanded CVS coverage will give millions of Americans access to Eli Lilly's Zepbound and Foundayo for obesity treatment.
• ▪CVS Caremark patients can remain on Novo Nordisk's Wegovy drugs without interruption.
• ▪Patients on CVS standard plans previously would have had to pay more out of pocket or go through extra hurdles to get Eli Lilly's Zepbound after CVS dropped coverage in 2025.

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