Health
Pharmacies report strong early demand for Medicare $50 obesity drug program
Major pharmacy chains say prescriptions are increasing for the temporary pilot program, which offers discounted weight loss medications to eligible seniors.
The short version
- Major drugstores report strong initial demand for Medicare's Bridge program, a temporary pilot launched in July offering GLP-1 obesity drugs to eligible beneficiaries for $50 per month.
- CVS and Walgreens have each filled roughly 100,000 Bridge prescriptions since the launch, while Walmart reports week-over-week growth across thousands of locations.
- The 18-month pilot targets up to 4 million eligible recipients, though total federal spending for the program remains uncertain.
Key facts
- The Medicare Bridge program launched on July 1 and allows eligible beneficiaries to receive obesity medications for $50 per month through the end of 2027.[NPR]
- CVS and Walgreens each reported filling approximately 100,000 prescriptions under the Bridge program by mid-August.[NPR]
- Walmart stated that Bridge program prescriptions are being filled across more than 5,000 Walmart and Sam's Club locations and continue to grow weekly.[NPR]
- Federal law prohibits Medicare from directly covering weight loss drugs, prompting the administration to establish the pilot program as a workaround for seniors with qualifying conditions, such as obesity alongside difficult-to-control high blood pressure.[NPR]
- Seniors with Type 2 diabetes or sleep apnea are ineligible for the Bridge program because Medicare Part D already covers GLP-1 medications for those conditions.[NPR]
- CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz stated on social media that 250,000 beneficiaries had signed up for the program as of late July.[NPR]
What remains uncertain
- The total cost of the 18-month pilot program has not been disclosed by the administration, though health research group KFF estimates it could range between $1.3 billion and $10 billion depending on participation rates.[NPR]
- It is unclear how many of the 250,000 enrolled beneficiaries successfully obtained necessary prior authorizations to receive their medications.[NPR]