For millions of Americans, insurance policies have taken a significant turn regarding access to the widely-used GLP-1 weight loss medications.
In an update that could affect countless individuals, Medicare has unveiled the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, set to launch in July 2026, providing some GLP-1 medications for a reduced price of $50 monthly.
Though the initiative is a pilot and will only be in effect until late 2027, it offers a period during which older citizens can avail themselves of the highly expensive medication at a significantly lowered cost.
Juliette Cubanski, the vice president and director of Medicare policy at the healthcare research nonprofit KFF, highlighted that of the over 70 million individuals on Medicare, at least 10 million are battling obesity. However, she noted that only a smaller segment of this demographic will qualify for the new program.
Who qualifies for the GLP-1 Bridge program?
Only people with Part D prescription drug coverage through Medicare will qualify, for starters. (About 56 million people had Medicare drug coverage in 2025.)
But eligibility will also be determined by weight and other factors. To qualify, you need to meet one of the following requirements when starting GLP-1 treatment:
- A BMI (body mass index) of 35 or higher
- Diastolic heart failure
- Prediabetes
Medicare beneficiaries who have sleep apnea, diabetes or fatty liver disease can’t access the program, but their Medicare Part D insurance might cover their GLP-1s separately based on those diagnoses.
There aren’t any hard numbers on how many people will benefit, and Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, declined to speculate on a figure.
If you think you might qualify, the first step is to contact your health care provider, CMS says on its website. The provider must send a prescription for one of the covered GLP-1 drugs to a pharmacy and fill out a prior authorization form.
More information on who qualifies can be found on the Medicare website.
Only some GLP-1s are included
The covered medications include drugmaker Eli Lilly’s Foundayo oral tablets and Zepbound KwikPens and Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy injections and tablets. Those GLP-1s have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for weight loss, Cubanski said.
For those in the program, the cost is $50 per month, regardless of dosage. But those payments won’t contribute to their insurance deductibles or out-of-pocket maximums. That’s because Medicare, rather than the Part D insurer, is subsidizing the prescription.
All of the GLP-1 medications, regardless of brand name, work in a similar way. The drugs mimic a hormone that lowers blood sugar, slows digestion, and tricks the brain into thinking its fuller for longer.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.