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Medicare Offers GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs for $50 Monthly in New Trial
Medicare will provide certain GLP-1 medications for $50 a month under the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program beginning in July 2026. The trial runs through the end of 2027 and is available only to Part D beneficiaries without sleep apnea, diabetes, or fatty liver disease.
Jul 18, 8:50 AM·1m read1 source
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Medicare announced it will offer certain GLP-1 medications for $50 a month through a new trial called Medicare GLP-1 Bridge. The Hill reported the program starts in July 2026 and continues until the end of 2027. More than 70 million Americans are enrolled in Medicare, with at least 10 million overweight or obese, according to Juliette Cubanski of KFF.
Only beneficiaries with Part D prescription drug coverage qualify, and those with sleep apnea, diabetes, or fatty liver disease are excluded. Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, declined to speculate on how many people will benefit.
The covered medications are Eli Lilly’s Foundayo oral tablets, Zepbound KwikPens, and Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy injections and tablets, all approved by the Food and Drug Administration for weight loss. Participants pay $50 per month regardless of dosage.
Those payments do not count toward deductibles or out-of-pocket maximums because Medicare, rather than the Part D insurer, subsidizes the prescriptions.
The drugs mimic a hormone that lowers blood sugar, slows digestion, and increases feelings of fullness. Providers must send a prescription to a pharmacy and complete a prior authorization form for participants to enroll.
