Starting July 1, Medicare will launch the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program, offering eligible older adults a $50 monthly copay for anti-obesity GLP-1 drugs through the end of 2027—an abrupt shift after Medicare had long been barred from covering weight-loss medic
On the calendar, July 1 looks like a clean starting point. For millions of older Americans who have been eyeing GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, it’s a date that could finally change what happens at the pharmacy counter.
President Donald Trump announced discounted pricing for Zepbound and Wegovy. alongside an expansion of Medicare coverage designed to broaden access for people who qualify for prescription weight-loss medication. The new coverage will begin when the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services launches the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program for enrollees who meet the program’s criteria.
Under the bridge program, older adults who receive the weight-loss drugs will pay a monthly $50 copay, with Medicare covering the rest of the cost. The program will run through the end of 2027.
Medicare’s shift is significant because the federal health program—mainly for adults 65 and older—has been prohibited from covering weight-loss medications. including GLP-1 drugs. With the bridge program. Medicare will create a path around that long-standing bar. responding to a market where list prices can exceed $1. 000 and insurance coverage can be uneven.
KFF, a health policy nonprofit, has found that more than half of adults on GLP-1 drugs say the medications have been difficult to afford, even after drugmakers cut prices for cash-paying customers. KFF said 9% of adults 65 and older used GLP-1s, while usage was slightly higher for young adults.
The change comes as coverage at work is starting to wobble. A survey from Mercer. a consultant. published June 11 found about 6% of large employers will drop coverage of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs in 2026. and another 5% plan to drop coverage in 2027. Nearly half of large employers covered the weight loss drugs in 2025.
For employers considering that pullback, the pressure is financial. “Employees that pay for insurance benefits have seen their costs continue to rise. ” said Raymond Brown. Mercer’s North American clinical pharmacy leader. Brown said employers that don’t want to drop coverage might instead add extra requirements for workers—for example. regularly checking in with a weight-loss coach to keep receiving GLP-1s. “Employers are asking, ‘Can I continue to manage these costs?’” Brown said.
Eligibility under the Medicare bridge program comes with a set of conditions that are designed to target anti-obesity drugs based on clinical criteria. Medicare beneficiaries must have prescription drug coverage, known as part D, to be eligible for the medications. They must get a prescription from a doctor or other licensed prescriber, and prior authorization will apply.
Not every beneficiary will qualify. People must be eligible for anti-obesity drugs based on body-mass index, which measures height and weight. Those with a BMI of 35 or higher will generally qualify. Some with a BMI of 27 or higher will qualify if they have other medical conditions. including pre-diabetes and peripheral artery disease.
There are also exclusions. Medicare recipients who already receive a GLP-1 drug because of Type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, or heart disease risk won’t receive the medication through the bridge program. They will keep getting the drugs through their regular part D prescription drug coverage.
Even though Medicare requires that beneficiaries have a part D plan to qualify. the private insurers that administer part D plans will not be involved in the bridge program. Medicare will handle approvals, process claims, and pay pharmacies, according to the Medicare Rights Center. Medicare has not released an estimate of how many Americans might qualify under the bridge program.
KFF’s estimate based on 2020 data suggests the pool could be large: about 13.7 million Medicare recipients either had obesity or were overweight.
The bridge program also has a defined drug list. Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy—which is available as a shot and a pill—will be covered. Eli Lilly’s KwikPen version of the injectable Zepbound will also qualify, along with Lilly’s weight-loss pill, Foundayo.
Drug pricing remains a high-stakes backdrop for the policy. Novo and Lilly have sought to outmaneuver one another with price cuts for cash-paying customers whose insurance plans don’t cover the medications. Novo previously dropped the price for injectable Wegovy and most dosages of the diabetes drug Ozempic to $349 a month. down from $499. for consumers who purchase the medication directly from the drugmaker. telehealth partners. or retail pharmacies. Lilly also previously announced price cuts for consumers who directly purchase Zepbound.
Medicare GLP-1 Wegovy Zepbound Ozempic Foundayo Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program $50 copay Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services prior authorization Part D Mercer Raymond Brown KFF