Eli Lilly’s Zepbound price cut comes with shocker for those on patient assistance

Eli Lilly’s (NYSE:LLY) recent 50% price cut for the two lowest doses of its weight loss drug Zepbound for self-paying customers has coincided with increased costs for some patients using the company’s patient assistance program.

The Indiana-based drugmaker’s much-publicized announcement was welcomed by none other than President Joe Biden, who called it a “welcome first step for American families struggling to access these drugs.”

LLY applied the price cut only to 2.5 mg and 5.0 mg doses of Zepbound available on its direct-to-consumer platform, LillyDirect, for patients willing to pay for the drug themselves.

However, without much disclosure, the company simultaneously increased the costs for patients with health insurance who are eligible for its Savings Card Program without Zepbound coverage.

The GLP-1 agonist, previously available for $550 a month, will now be available for $650 per month for new patients accessing the program.

Without disclosing the change in its press release, the company resorted to its website to announce the modification in fine print.

LLY said the decision would help the company continue a different savings program, under which commercially insured patients with Zepbound coverage can access the drug for as low as $25 per month.