Medicare is embracing the GLP-1 boom

Starting tomorrow, millions of Medicare beneficiaries will gain access to GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, in a rollout poised to give pharmacists more action than the bingo hall on jackpot night.

Medicare’s new GLP-1 Bridge program will allow patients who meet certain criteria to access blockbuster medications like Wegovy and Zepbound for $50/month beginning July 1, with doctors and pharmacists preparing for what could become one of the largest prescription drug rollouts in US history.

It’s a big deal for weight loss

Tomorrow’s rollout marks the first time Medicare will help pay for drugs prescribed solely for obesity, rather than limiting coverage to conditions like diabetes or cardiovascular disease.

• An estimated 3.8 million Medicare beneficiaries are projected to meet the coverage eligibility requirements, which include a minimum BMI of 27 alongside other conditions.
• Many such patients have been holding off on taking GLP-1 drugs thus far, with typical monthly costs ranging from $150-$450 without insurance.

But…there is a catch: Medicare’s pilot program is temporary and set to expire at the end of 2027. Unless the coverage is extended, millions of Medicare patients who are expected to lose weight from GLP-1s will have to choose between paying higher cash prices, or ending treatment―which, based on current research, would probably cause their weight to rebound.