Trump Administration Launches 18-Month Medicare Pilot Capping Copays at $50 for Certain GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drugs

President Donald Trump and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced the GLP-1 Bridge pilot program, which sets out-of-pocket costs for certain GLP-1 weight-loss medications at $50 per month for qualifying Medicare beneficiaries. The program represents a decrease of roughly 95 percent or more from previous out-of-pocket prices for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs.

Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Part D prescription drug plans will be able to access certain GLP-1 weight-loss medications for a $50 copay at the pharmacy under the pilot program.

The GLP-1 Bridge pilot program is an 18-month program scheduled to begin on July 1, 2026. It is scheduled to run through December 2027. During the GLP-1 Bridge pilot program, CMS plans to collect data on usage and costs.

The goal of the GLP-1 Bridge pilot program is to determine whether Medicare should adopt a permanent coverage pathway by 2028. To participate in the GLP-1 Bridge program, individuals must be enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan and receive prior authorization from a doctor.

Eligibility for the GLP-1 Bridge program is tied to body mass index, which is typically 27 or higher, or can include a lower BMI if combined with conditions such as heart disease or prediabetes.

At launch, the GLP-1 Bridge program is expected to include injectable GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy and other approved injectable and pill-based GLP-1 options. Medicare has largely excluded coverage of GLP-1 drugs when prescribed for weight loss. Seniors could generally access GLP-1 drugs through Medicare only if prescribed for Type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease, but not obesity alone.

9 percent of Americans 60 and older are considered obese. The CDC defines obesity as having a body mass index of 30 or higher. Before the pilot program, Wegovy and similar GLP-1 drugs often cost more than $1,000 per month without insurance, with some prices for GLP-1 drugs exceeding $1,300 per month.

"For Medicare beneficiaries, this could turn GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy from a high-priced treatment into something far more reachable at $50 a month," Alex Beene told Newsweek. "This is a temporary bridge program running through December 2027," Michael Ryan told Newsweek.

Newsweek reported that for retirees on fixed incomes those earlier prices had effectively put the medications off-limits even as obesity and related conditions disproportionately affect older adults.

The new $50 Medicare copay marks a significant shift in federal policy by sharply lowering out-of-pocket costs through the GLP-1 Bridge pilot program. Officials say the goal is to analyze costs, demand and outcomes before deciding on permanent expansion.