{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"47564","rtpr_id":"nPn4FGDQMa","ticker":"CVS","exchange":"NYSE","all_tickers":["CVS"],"title":"CVS Caremark Delivers Affordability and Access to GLP-1 Weight Management Medications with Expanded Coverage Options","author":"PR Newswire","published_at":"2026-05-28T10:45:00.048Z","article_body":"CVS Caremark Delivers Affordability and Access to GLP-1 Weight Management Medications with Expanded Coverage Options\n\nPR Newswire\n\nWOONSOCKET, R.I., May 28, 2026\n\nExpanded GLP-1 options for members create a path to sustainable coverage of\nthese important medications\n\nWOONSOCKET, R.I., May 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) today\nannounced updates to its most common commercial formularies, expanding\nGLP-1 options for members— including the reintroduction of Zepbound®\n(tirzepatide) as a covered medication. These changes build on Caremark's\nindustry leading efforts as a pharmacy benefits manager to explore all\npotential avenues that help patients get FDA-approved weight management\nmedications at an affordable cost. Plan sponsors that adopt CVS Caremark\ntemplate formularies retain discretion to customize coverage for their\nmembers.\n\nWhat changes is CVS Caremark making to its weight management drug coverage?\n\nCVS Caremark will add Zepbound back to our commercial formularies as an\nadditional preferred option October 1, 2026, increasing access to GLP-1s at a\nmore affordable price for plan sponsors who elect to provide coverage of those\nmedications for their members. Additionally, effective June 1, 2026, CVS\nCaremark will remove the new-to-market block on Foundayo™(orforglipron), a\nnew oral GLP-1 therapy, where approved for coverage by plans.\n\nOver the past year, we've been actively driving change in the GLP-1 weight\nmanagement space to help lower costs. Our approach has made a real difference,\nenabling us to now expand options while continuing to make progress on\naffordability.\n\nWe expect these changes to help drive increased savings in the weight\nmanagement category – after a history of delivering double digit savings for\nour template formulary customers year over year – while expanding choice for\nour members.\n\nWhy is CVS Caremark adding Zepbound to their formulary?\n\nSimply put, we achieved what our customers asked us for: deliver affordability\nand optionality in this important class.\n\n\"We're creating access and options that would not have existed without our\nleadership in the market,\" said Ed DeVaney, President, CVS Caremark. \"We acted\nboldly through active engagement and negotiation with our drug manufacturer\npartners to tackle affordability and access for our customers and their\nmembers.\"\n\nWhat is CVS Caremark doing to bring down the cost of GLP-1s?\n\nOver the past two years, high prices have put these therapies out of reach\nfor the many people who could benefit from them. Last year, we took the\ninitiative to drive engagement with manufacturers to bend the cost\ncurve — similar to how we've helped improve affordability for\ndrugs used for diabetes, high cholesterol, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis\nand many more.\n\nBy acting early, we helped improve affordability and get ahead of a rapidly\nevolving GLP-1 pipeline. This past year, as this therapy class has continued\nto evolve, we worked with the manufacturers to secure a more\naffordable cost with positive results that allow us the flexibility to\ncontinue offering our customers more choice and access for their members.\n\nWhat are the challenges with GLP-1 pricing?\n\nWhile GLP-1s represent a major clinical advancement, the broad demand for a\nhigh-priced medicine creates a level of financial strain that is difficult to\nabsorb at scale. As a result, many of our customers have made tough\ntrade-offs, limiting coverage in order to maintain sustainable, balanced\nbenefit programs. Ongoing collaboration with pharmaceutical companies is\nhelping to make this in-demand drug class more accessible.\n\nHow was CVS Caremark able to lower the price of these weight management drugs?\n\nAs a pharmacy benefit manager, CVS Caremark is hired by businesses, big and\nsmall, health plans, unions, and government entities to negotiate the cost of\nmedications included on formularies elected by plan sponsors that offer a\nbenefit to their members. These negotiations have led us to deliver increased\naffordability and increased access to GLP-1s across the class.\n\nWhat is a formulary and how does it impact patients?\n\nA formulary is a list of prescription medications available under a health\nplan, managed with the support of a pharmacy benefit manager. CVS Caremark\nregularly evaluates formularies — which plan sponsors may adopt or customize\nbased on the needs of their populations — to help support member access to\nclinically appropriate treatments as evaluated by an independent Pharmacy\n& Therapeutics committee while helping manage overall medication costs for\ncustomers and the members they serve.\n\nHow is CVS Caremark supporting customers and members through these changes?\n\nCVS Caremark will provide advanced communication and/or support to customers,\nconsultants, providers and members to help ensure a smooth transition to\ncovered therapies. These efforts include proactive outreach, educational\nresources, and clinical support programs.\n\nThese formulary updates are one component of CVS Health's ongoing efforts to\naddress rising prescription drug costs and improve access to affordable\nmedications for the millions of Americans it serves.\n\nAbout CVS Health\n\nCVS Health is a leading health solutions company simplifying health care one\nperson, one family and one community at a time. As of March 31, 2026, the\nCompany had approximately 9,000 retail pharmacy locations, more than 1,000\nwalk-in and primary care medical clinics and a leading pharmacy benefits\nmanager with approximately 88 million plan members. The Company also serves an\nestimated more than 37 million people through a broad range of health\ninsurance products and related services. The Company's integrated model uses\npersonalized, technology driven services to connect people to simply better\nhealth, increasing access to quality care, delivering better outcomes, and\nlowering overall costs.\n\nCautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements\n\nThe Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a safe harbor\nfor forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of CVS Health Corporation.\nStatements in this press release that are forward-looking include, but are not\nlimited to, statements regarding the anticipated impact of the formulary\nchanges on affordability, access, and member out-of-pocket costs, as well as\nstatements regarding ongoing engagement with pharmaceutical manufacturers. By\ntheir nature, all forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future\nperformance or results and are subject to risks and uncertainties that are\ndifficult to predict and/or quantify. Actual results may differ materially\nfrom those contemplated by the forward-looking statements due to the risks and\nuncertainties described in CVS Health's filings with the Securities and\nExchange Commission, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section and\nunder the heading \"Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements\"\nin our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q,\nand Current Reports on Form 8-K. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance\non CVS Health's forward-looking statements. CVS Health does not assume any\nduty to update or revise forward-looking statements except as required by law.\n\nMedia Contact:\nPhil Blando\nPhillip.Blando@cvshealth.com (mailto:Phillip.Blando@cvshealth.com)\n\nView original content to download\nmultimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cvs-caremark-delivers-affordability-and-access-to-glp-1-weight-management-medications-with-expanded-coverage-options-302783820.html\n(https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cvs-caremark-delivers-affordability-and-access-to-glp-1-weight-management-medications-with-expanded-coverage-options-302783820.html)\n\nSOURCE CVS Health\n\n\n\nPhoto: \nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS434481/CVS_Health_Logo_v1.jpg?id=OA2643176\n\nCopyright (c) 2026 PR Newswire Association,LLC. All Rights Reserved.","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nPn4FGDQMa","title":"CVS Caremark Delivers Affordability and Access to GLP-1 Weight Management Medications with Expanded Coverage Options","author":"PR Newswire","ticker":"CVS","created":"2026-05-28T10:45:00.048Z","tickers":["CVS"],"exchange":"NYSE","article_body":"CVS Caremark Delivers Affordability and Access to GLP-1 Weight Management Medications with Expanded Coverage Options\n\nPR Newswire\n\nWOONSOCKET, R.I., May 28, 2026\n\nExpanded GLP-1 options for members create a path to sustainable coverage of\nthese important medications\n\nWOONSOCKET, R.I., May 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) today\nannounced updates to its most common commercial formularies, expanding\nGLP-1 options for members— including the reintroduction of Zepbound®\n(tirzepatide) as a covered medication. These changes build on Caremark's\nindustry leading efforts as a pharmacy benefits manager to explore all\npotential avenues that help patients get FDA-approved weight management\nmedications at an affordable cost. Plan sponsors that adopt CVS Caremark\ntemplate formularies retain discretion to customize coverage for their\nmembers.\n\nWhat changes is CVS Caremark making to its weight management drug coverage?\n\nCVS Caremark will add Zepbound back to our commercial formularies as an\nadditional preferred option October 1, 2026, increasing access to GLP-1s at a\nmore affordable price for plan sponsors who elect to provide coverage of those\nmedications for their members. Additionally, effective June 1, 2026, CVS\nCaremark will remove the new-to-market block on Foundayo™(orforglipron), a\nnew oral GLP-1 therapy, where approved for coverage by plans.\n\nOver the past year, we've been actively driving change in the GLP-1 weight\nmanagement space to help lower costs. Our approach has made a real difference,\nenabling us to now expand options while continuing to make progress on\naffordability.\n\nWe expect these changes to help drive increased savings in the weight\nmanagement category – after a history of delivering double digit savings for\nour template formulary customers year over year – while expanding choice for\nour members.\n\nWhy is CVS Caremark adding Zepbound to their formulary?\n\nSimply put, we achieved what our customers asked us for: deliver affordability\nand optionality in this important class.\n\n\"We're creating access and options that would not have existed without our\nleadership in the market,\" said Ed DeVaney, President, CVS Caremark. \"We acted\nboldly through active engagement and negotiation with our drug manufacturer\npartners to tackle affordability and access for our customers and their\nmembers.\"\n\nWhat is CVS Caremark doing to bring down the cost of GLP-1s?\n\nOver the past two years, high prices have put these therapies out of reach\nfor the many people who could benefit from them. Last year, we took the\ninitiative to drive engagement with manufacturers to bend the cost\ncurve — similar to how we've helped improve affordability for\ndrugs used for diabetes, high cholesterol, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis\nand many more.\n\nBy acting early, we helped improve affordability and get ahead of a rapidly\nevolving GLP-1 pipeline. This past year, as this therapy class has continued\nto evolve, we worked with the manufacturers to secure a more\naffordable cost with positive results that allow us the flexibility to\ncontinue offering our customers more choice and access for their members.\n\nWhat are the challenges with GLP-1 pricing?\n\nWhile GLP-1s represent a major clinical advancement, the broad demand for a\nhigh-priced medicine creates a level of financial strain that is difficult to\nabsorb at scale. As a result, many of our customers have made tough\ntrade-offs, limiting coverage in order to maintain sustainable, balanced\nbenefit programs. Ongoing collaboration with pharmaceutical companies is\nhelping to make this in-demand drug class more accessible.\n\nHow was CVS Caremark able to lower the price of these weight management drugs?\n\nAs a pharmacy benefit manager, CVS Caremark is hired by businesses, big and\nsmall, health plans, unions, and government entities to negotiate the cost of\nmedications included on formularies elected by plan sponsors that offer a\nbenefit to their members. These negotiations have led us to deliver increased\naffordability and increased access to GLP-1s across the class.\n\nWhat is a formulary and how does it impact patients?\n\nA formulary is a list of prescription medications available under a health\nplan, managed with the support of a pharmacy benefit manager. CVS Caremark\nregularly evaluates formularies — which plan sponsors may adopt or customize\nbased on the needs of their populations — to help support member access to\nclinically appropriate treatments as evaluated by an independent Pharmacy\n& Therapeutics committee while helping manage overall medication costs for\ncustomers and the members they serve.\n\nHow is CVS Caremark supporting customers and members through these changes?\n\nCVS Caremark will provide advanced communication and/or support to customers,\nconsultants, providers and members to help ensure a smooth transition to\ncovered therapies. These efforts include proactive outreach, educational\nresources, and clinical support programs.\n\nThese formulary updates are one component of CVS Health's ongoing efforts to\naddress rising prescription drug costs and improve access to affordable\nmedications for the millions of Americans it serves.\n\nAbout CVS Health\n\nCVS Health is a leading health solutions company simplifying health care one\nperson, one family and one community at a time. As of March 31, 2026, the\nCompany had approximately 9,000 retail pharmacy locations, more than 1,000\nwalk-in and primary care medical clinics and a leading pharmacy benefits\nmanager with approximately 88 million plan members. The Company also serves an\nestimated more than 37 million people through a broad range of health\ninsurance products and related services. The Company's integrated model uses\npersonalized, technology driven services to connect people to simply better\nhealth, increasing access to quality care, delivering better outcomes, and\nlowering overall costs.\n\nCautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements\n\nThe Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a safe harbor\nfor forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of CVS Health Corporation.\nStatements in this press release that are forward-looking include, but are not\nlimited to, statements regarding the anticipated impact of the formulary\nchanges on affordability, access, and member out-of-pocket costs, as well as\nstatements regarding ongoing engagement with pharmaceutical manufacturers. By\ntheir nature, all forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future\nperformance or results and are subject to risks and uncertainties that are\ndifficult to predict and/or quantify. Actual results may differ materially\nfrom those contemplated by the forward-looking statements due to the risks and\nuncertainties described in CVS Health's filings with the Securities and\nExchange Commission, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section and\nunder the heading \"Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements\"\nin our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q,\nand Current Reports on Form 8-K. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance\non CVS Health's forward-looking statements. CVS Health does not assume any\nduty to update or revise forward-looking statements except as required by law.\n\nMedia Contact:\nPhil Blando\nPhillip.Blando@cvshealth.com (mailto:Phillip.Blando@cvshealth.com)\n\nView original content to download\nmultimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cvs-caremark-delivers-affordability-and-access-to-glp-1-weight-management-medications-with-expanded-coverage-options-302783820.html\n(https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cvs-caremark-delivers-affordability-and-access-to-glp-1-weight-management-medications-with-expanded-coverage-options-302783820.html)\n\nSOURCE CVS Health\n\n\n\nPhoto: \nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS434481/CVS_Health_Logo_v1.jpg?id=OA2643176\n\nCopyright (c) 2026 PR Newswire Association,LLC. All Rights Reserved."},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-05-28T10:45:00.087993153Z","server_sent_at_ms":1779965100087},"received_at":"2026-05-28T10:45:00.144Z","source_url":"https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cvs-caremark-delivers-affordability-and-access-to-glp-1-weight-management-medications-with-expanded-coverage-options-302783820.html"},"analysis":{"id":"36999","press_release_id":"47564","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Health Care Providers & Services","sector":"Health Care"},"redFlags":[],"eventType":"operations_update","narrative":"CVS Caremark announced updates to its commercial formularies, reintroducing Zepbound (tirzepatide) as a covered medication effective October 1, 2026, and removing the new-to-market block on Foundayo (orforglipron) effective June 1, 2026.\n\nThe company attributes these expanded options to successful negotiations with drug manufacturers that have lowered costs, allowing CVS to offer greater access while maintaining affordability for plan sponsors.\n\nCVS Health serves approximately 88 million PBM plan members and 37 million health insurance members, leveraging its scale to drive down prices for high-demand GLP-1 therapies.","sentiment":"bullish","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":true,"suggestedAngle":"CVS expands GLP-1 coverage after negotiating lower drug costs, reinforcing its PBM value proposition."},"keyFigures":{"customDimensions":{"medical_clinics":1000,"pbm_plan_members":88000000,"health_insurance_members":37000000,"retail_pharmacy_locations":9000}},"quotedText":"We're creating access and options that would not have existed without our leadership in the market","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Ed DeVaney","role":"President, CVS Caremark"},{"name":"Phil Blando","role":"Media Contact"}],"products":["Zepbound","tirzepatide","Foundayo","orforglipron"],"companies":[{"name":"CVS Health","ticker":"CVS","relationship":"filer"},{"name":"CVS Caremark","relationship":"subsidiary"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"materialImpact":{"score":3,"reasoning":"CVS Caremark is expanding coverage for high-demand GLP-1 drugs (Zepbound and Foundayo) after negotiating lower costs with manufacturers. This strengthens CVS's value proposition as a PBM by balancing access and affordability, potentially driving member retention and plan sponsor adoption."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"CVS"},"globalImportance":45,"audienceRelevance":55,"eventTypeSecondary":[],"importanceComponents":{"tickerTier":"mega-cap","eventGravity":"operational-strategic","sectorWeight":"high","householdBrandBoost":true,"retailFavoriteBoost":false}},"event_type":"operations_update","event_type_secondary":null,"sentiment":"bullish","material_impact_score":3,"narrative":"CVS Caremark announced updates to its commercial formularies, reintroducing Zepbound (tirzepatide) as a covered medication effective October 1, 2026, and removing the new-to-market block on Foundayo (orforglipron) effective June 1, 2026.\n\nThe company attributes these expanded options to successful negotiations with drug manufacturers that have lowered costs, allowing CVS to offer greater access while maintaining affordability for plan sponsors.\n\nCVS Health serves approximately 88 million PBM plan members and 37 million health insurance members, leveraging its scale to drive down prices for high-demand GLP-1 therapies.","key_figures":{"customDimensions":{"medical_clinics":1000,"pbm_plan_members":88000000,"health_insurance_members":37000000,"retail_pharmacy_locations":9000}},"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"Ed DeVaney","role":"President, CVS Caremark"},{"name":"Phil Blando","role":"Media Contact"}],"products":["Zepbound","tirzepatide","Foundayo","orforglipron"],"companies":[{"name":"CVS Health","ticker":"CVS","relationship":"filer"},{"name":"CVS Caremark","relationship":"subsidiary"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"model_name":"qwen3_6_27b_awq","prompt_hash":"sha256:727b4b9429a443af","schema_hash":"sha256:05005c02d9cffac9","created_at":"2026-05-28T10:46:13.562Z","global_importance":45,"audience_relevance":55,"importance_components":{"tickerTier":"mega-cap","eventGravity":"operational-strategic","sectorWeight":"high","householdBrandBoost":true,"retailFavoriteBoost":false}},"durationMs":73408,"modelName":"george-droid-qwen-72b"}}