Cigna to Drop Wegovy and Zepbound Coverage for Employees as Oral Versions Launch at $149/Month

Cigna will stop covering GLP-1 weight loss drugs including Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound in its employee health plan effective July 1. The company circulated a document to employees on June 1 notifying them of the change. Cigna stated that employees currently using the drugs can choose to pay with cash through manufacturer sites or TrumpRx.

Cash-pay purchases will not apply toward a deductible or the amount of spending required before enrollees can use their health coverage. The price of weight loss drugs has been falling in 2026 with the launch of Novo’s Wegovy pill and Lilly’s oral Foundayo. Prices for the new oral versions start at $149 per month for the lowest dose.

Americans have been increasingly pushed to the cash-pay market for weight loss drugs. Employers have been cutting back on their coverage of the drugs at the same time. Taking weight loss drugs for at least three years could prevent thousands of knee replacements a year, according to research cited by The Guardian.

4% reduced risk of knee replacement surgery at the three-year follow-up point. 8% lower risk of knee replacement surgery after eight years. Taking semaglutide or tirzepatide for three years was associated with a nearly 5% lower chance of needing knee replacement at the eight-year follow-up assessment.

The greatest reduction in risk was associated with newer weight loss drugs and longer treatment.