Beginning in July, Medicare beneficiaries "may be able to get a GLP-1 prescription for weight loss for $50 a month," reports Jackie Fortiér of KFF Health News. "It’s a notable shift for Medicare, which has long been barred from covering weight loss treatments."
Although weight-loss drugs, such as Zepbound and Wegovy, offer chronically overweight patients a way to lose weight that may cause other health issues, their prices have often put them out of reach for many Medicare patients. Fortiér explains, "They’re available in injection or pill form. Even with discounts, current cash prices typically range from $149 to $699 per month."
In an effort to address Medicare enrollees' obesity-driven health problems and budgetary restraints, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced a "short-term pilot program known as the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge. It will run from July 1, 2026, through Dec. 31, 2027," Fortiér writes. "It’s meant to 'bridge' the gap before a longer-term program that might — or might not — begin in 2028."
The pilot program will cover most GLP-1 weight loss medicines, including the pill and injectable formulations of Wegovy, the KwikPen formulation of Zepbound, and the Foundayo pill, Fortiér reports.
Medicare enrollees should know that Medicare's GLP-1 Bridge is "not your typical Medicare benefit. Even though Part D enrollment is required, the Bridge program itself works differently," Fortiér explains. "Instead of going through your regular Part D plan, you will need prior authorization" which your doctor can send to CMS for processing. Physicians prescribing GLP-1 to Medicare patients don't have to be, or become, registered Medicare providers.
Read all the requirements and rules for Medicare GLP-1 Bridge coverage here.
