CMS unveiled a voluntary Medicare payment model designed to expand coverage of GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs to eligible beneficiaries. The agency framed the program as a cost‑saving pilot intended to lower patient costs and broaden access, building on broader federal efforts to address drug affordability. The model opens a new pathway for manufacturers, payers and providers to negotiate value‑based arrangements specifically for GLP‑1 therapies. CMS said participation is voluntary, which leaves uptake uncertain but creates an immediate incentive for companies to re‑examine manufacturer pricing and payer contracting strategies. Industry participants will watch reimbursement rules, duration limits, and eligibility criteria closely; those parameters will determine whether the model shifts utilization or merely redistributes costs. Major manufacturers of GLP‑1s, payer networks and obesity‑care providers are direct stakeholders in the pilot.