CVS Health Corp.’s drug benefits unit is trying to entice health insurance plans to cover Wegovy, Novo Nordisk A/S’s pricey weight-loss shot, for more patients by allowing them to charge copays as high as $200.
It’s the latest move by pharmacy benefit managers, which negotiate drug prices on behalf of health plans, to deal with the surging demand for weight-loss medicines. The copay option would take effect starting next year.
The drugs are expensive, so insurers have pushed back against covering them. That’s left patients facing list prices that top $1,000 a month, though manufacturers have set up discount programs.
This move by Caremark, the CVS drug benefits manager unit, could save insurers money because patients would pay more than a standard copay. It also could boost usage becaus