CVS Caremark Delivers Affordability and Access to GLP-1 Weight Management Medications with Expanded Coverage Options
CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) is expanding GLP-1 weight management coverage through CVS Caremark’s commercial formularies.
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Rhea-AI Summary
CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) is expanding GLP-1 weight management coverage through CVS Caremark’s commercial formularies. Zepbound (tirzepatide) will be reintroduced as an additional preferred option on October 1, 2026, and the new-to-market block on oral GLP-1 Foundayo (orforglipron) ends June 1, 2026, where plans approve coverage.
According to CVS Health, these formulary updates aim to improve affordability and access for plan sponsors and members via manufacturer negotiations, while maintaining plan flexibility and providing education and clinical support for smooth transitions.
Details
News Market Reaction – CVS
On May 28, the day this news came out, CVS closed 0.98% above the previous close.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus for the May 28 session.
Key Figures
- Digital innovation investment
- $20 billion
- Multi-year CVS Health digital innovation and technology programs
- Claims processing time
- 20%+ reduction
- Manual claims processed via AI-powered Claims Assist Manager
- Senior housing investment
- $9 million
- CVS funding for The Mews at St. Mary, 75-unit project
- NJ affordable housing
- Over $40 million
- Cumulative CVS affordable housing investments in New Jersey
- NJ economic impact
- $12.5 billion
- Estimated CVS economic impact in New Jersey, fiscal 2024
- Veteran-owned spend
- $292 million
- 2025 spending with veteran-owned small businesses
- Glenview share sales
- 3,750,000 shares
- CVS-related shares sold May 19–21, 2026 via Glenview-managed funds
- Shelf filing date
- May 22, 2026
- S-3ASR shelf registration for potential debt offerings
Historical Context
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Aetna launched AI claims advisor cutting manual claim processing time by over 20%.
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Glenview Capital reported strong returns and maintained CVS as a top holding.
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Opened 75-unit senior affordable housing backed by a $9M CVS investment.
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Reinforced programs and $292M 2025 spend with veteran-owned small businesses.
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Released Medicare digital health literacy study tied to $20B tech investment.
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
Key Terms
glp-1 medical
zepbound medical
tirzepatide medical
orforglipron medical
fda-approved regulatory
formulary technical
pharmacy benefit manager financial
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Expanded GLP-1 options for members create a path to sustainable coverage of these important medications
What changes is CVS Caremark making to its weight management drug coverage?
CVS Caremark will add Zepbound back to our commercial formularies as an additional preferred option October 1, 2026, increasing access to GLP-1s at a more affordable price for plan sponsors who elect to provide coverage of those medications for their members. Additionally, effective June 1, 2026, CVS Caremark will remove the new-to-market block on Foundayo™(orforglipron), a new oral GLP-1 therapy, where approved for coverage by plans.
Over the past year, we've been actively driving change in the GLP-1 weight management space to help lower costs. Our approach has made a real difference, enabling us to now expand options while continuing to make progress on affordability.
We expect these changes to help drive increased savings in the weight management category – after a history of delivering double digit savings for our template formulary customers year over year – while expanding choice for our members.
Why is CVS Caremark adding Zepbound to their formulary?
Simply put, we achieved what our customers asked us for: deliver affordability and optionality in this important class.
"We're creating access and options that would not have existed without our leadership in the market," said Ed DeVaney, President, CVS Caremark. "We acted boldly through active engagement and negotiation with our drug manufacturer partners to tackle affordability and access for our customers and their members."
What is CVS Caremark doing to bring down the cost of GLP-1s?
Over the past two years, high prices have put these therapies out of reach for the many people who could benefit from them. Last year, we took the initiative to drive engagement with manufacturers to bend the cost curve — similar to how we've helped improve affordability for drugs used for diabetes, high cholesterol, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and many more.
By acting early, we helped improve affordability and get ahead of a rapidly evolving GLP-1 pipeline. This past year, as this therapy class has continued to evolve, we worked with the manufacturers to secure a more affordable cost with positive results that allow us the flexibility to continue offering our customers more choice and access for their members.
What are the challenges with GLP-1 pricing?
While GLP-1s represent a major clinical advancement, the broad demand for a high-priced medicine creates a level of financial strain that is difficult to absorb at scale. As a result, many of our customers have made tough trade-offs, limiting coverage in order to maintain sustainable, balanced benefit programs. Ongoing collaboration with pharmaceutical companies is helping to make this in-demand drug class more accessible.
How was CVS Caremark able to lower the price of these weight management drugs?
As a pharmacy benefit manager, CVS Caremark is hired by businesses, big and small, health plans, unions, and government entities to negotiate the cost of medications included on formularies elected by plan sponsors that offer a benefit to their members. These negotiations have led us to deliver increased affordability and increased access to GLP-1s across the class.
What is a formulary and how does it impact patients?
A formulary is a list of prescription medications available under a health plan, managed with the support of a pharmacy benefit manager. CVS Caremark regularly evaluates formularies — which plan sponsors may adopt or customize based on the needs of their populations — to help support member access to clinically appropriate treatments as evaluated by an independent Pharmacy & Therapeutics committee while helping manage overall medication costs for customers and the members they serve.
How is CVS Caremark supporting customers and members through these changes?
CVS Caremark will provide advanced communication and/or support to customers, consultants, providers and members to help ensure a smooth transition to covered therapies. These efforts include proactive outreach, educational resources, and clinical support programs.
These formulary updates are one component of CVS Health's ongoing efforts to address rising prescription drug costs and improve access to affordable medications for the millions of Americans it serves.
About CVS Health
CVS Health is a leading health solutions company simplifying health care one person, one family and one community at a time. As of March 31, 2026, the Company had approximately 9,000 retail pharmacy locations, more than 1,000 walk-in and primary care medical clinics and a leading pharmacy benefits manager with approximately 88 million plan members. The Company also serves an estimated more than 37 million people through a broad range of health insurance products and related services. The Company's integrated model uses personalized, technology driven services to connect people to simply better health, increasing access to quality care, delivering better outcomes, and lowering overall costs.
Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a safe harbor for forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of CVS Health Corporation. Statements in this press release that are forward-looking include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the anticipated impact of the formulary changes on affordability, access, and member out-of-pocket costs, as well as statements regarding ongoing engagement with pharmaceutical manufacturers. By their nature, all forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or results and are subject to risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and/or quantify. Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements due to the risks and uncertainties described in CVS Health's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section and under the heading "Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements" in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on CVS Health's forward-looking statements. CVS Health does not assume any duty to update or revise forward-looking statements except as required by law.
Media Contact:
Phil Blando
Phillip.Blando@cvshealth.com
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SOURCE CVS Health
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