Free Republic

NEW YORK, May 21 (Reuters) - Cigna (CI.N), opens new tab will cap out-of-pocket costs at $200 per month for patients using the weight-loss drugs Wegovy and Zepbound through an add-on to its pharmacy benefit management plans, the company announced on Wednesday. Cigna's pricing compares to the cash-pay market for weight-loss drugs, said Harold Carter, a senior vice president at Evernorth. The drugs, from Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO), opens new tab and Eli Lilly (LLY.N), opens new tab, have list prices that reach $1,000 but are available for about half that or less on the manufacturers' websites.

The drug tirzepatide improved kidney function and cardiovascular outcomes among patients with obesity and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) compared with placebo at one year, according to featured clinical research. In the new analysis of data from the SUMMIT trial, researchers focused on patients with obesity, chronic kidney disease and HFpEF. HFpEF occurs when the heart muscle cannot enlarge sufficiently to accommodate the blood it receives, causing pressure in the heart to become elevated. Chronic kidney disease occurs when the kidneys do not filter waste from the blood as they should, leading to a buildup of toxins. Tirzepatide...