Medicare’s $50 obesity drug pilot sees rapid uptake at major pharmacy chains
Within two months of launch, CVS and Walgreens each reported filling about 100,000 prescriptions under Medicare’s Bridge program, which offers eligible seniors obesity drugs for $50 a month.
Medicare began a pilot program on July 1 that allows qualifying beneficiaries to obtain GLP-1 obesity medications for $50 a month. The initiative, called the Bridge program, is expected to run through the end of 2027 and targets seniors with obesity and uncontrolled high blood pressure, while excluding those with sleep apnea or type-2 diabetes, whose drugs are already covered under Medicare Part D.
Pharmacy chains report strong early demand. Walgreens’ chief pharmacy officer Rick Gates said the company stocked Wegovy, Zepbound and Foundayo in anticipation of the launch and noted that “there’s been a little bit more uptake than we even expected.” He added that about half of the patients served had not previously used GLP-1 drugs and that pharmacists play a key role in managing initial side effects such as nausea and diarrhea.
CVS announced it had filled more than 100,000 Bridge prescriptions by mid-August and said it also accepts various discount cards and manufacturer coupons to lower out-of-pocket costs for patients who do not qualify for the program. Walmart did not disclose its exact numbers but reported that Bridge prescriptions are now processed at over 5,000 Walmart and Sam’s Club locations, with weekly growth.
Analysts estimate that up to four million Medicare beneficiaries could be eligible. Jeremy Shane, a scholar at the USC Leonard D. Schaeffer Institute, said the reported figures suggest that 5 % to 10 % of the eligible population have used the program in its first weeks. CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz indicated that 250,000 beneficiaries had signed up as of late July, though it is unclear how many received approved prior authorizations.
The cost of the 18-month pilot is uncertain. The Kaiser Family Foundation projects total spending could range from $1.3 billion to $10 billion, compared with projected Medicare Part D drug spending of $181 billion in 2025. Shane argues that the program’s value should be measured by long-term health benefits and potential reductions in other Medicare expenses, citing his research that expanded GLP-1 access could lower overall healthcare costs over a decade.