May 29, 2025

The Trump administration is intensifying efforts to enforce health care price transparency rules, updating guidance to require hospitals to post actual—not estimated—prices and seeking public input on improving data accuracy and compliance. This multi-agency initiative, spurred by a recent executive order, also targets insurers with new reporting requirements and marks a shift toward stricter oversight and accountability for both hospitals and health plans.

Cigna’s Evernorth has partnered with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to cap patient copays at $200 per month for GLP-1 weight loss drugs Zepbound and Wegovy, while offering up to 20% discounts to employers and health plans. The new benefit, which includes streamlined authorization and pharmacy flexibility, aims to make the costly medications more accessible and could prompt more Evernorth clients to cover them amid growing demand and price pressures.

Originally developed to treat diabetes, GLP-1 drugs have seen surging demand for weight loss. Nearly half of patients prescribed these medications lost weight last year. However, sustained benefits typically require ongoing use, which poses a major financial challenge given monthly list prices often exceeding $1,000 before discounts. On top of the cost, emerging research indicates a potential increased risk of depression and anxiety among users.

One of the bill’s most significant changes is the introduction of work requirements for able-bodied adults, mandating at least 80 hours per month of work, volunteering, or education. Uninsured individuals are generally less likely to seek medical care, and while young adults tend to be healthier, they still require access to services like reproductive and mental healthcare. The bill is currently under review in the Senate.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had removed COVID shots from the recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women.