GLP-1 Use Hits Record High As Medicare Opens Access To Weight-Loss Drugs

Key TakeawaysCurrent GLP-1 use for weight loss hit 11% of U.S. adults in 2026, survey estimatesA new Medicare pilot launched July 1, covering certain GLP-1 drugs for eligible enrollees at $50 a month, could increase useMedicare Part D normally excludes weight-loss drugs, so the temporary Medicare Bridge program runs outside regular drug coverage.THURSDAY, July 9, 2026 (HealthDay News) — The share of U.S. adults taking GLP-1 medications to lose weight has reached a record 11%.That’s about 40 million people — as many people who live in California, the nation’s largest state.A new Medicare program that began July 1 could drive that figure higher still.Current use of GLP-1s has nearly quadrupled from 3% in 2024, according to Gallup's National Health and Well-Being Index. Its survey of 5,065 adults — conducted May 28 to June 5 — found that 15% had used the drugs for weight loss at some point.The medications are sold under brand names such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved semaglutide — the drug in Wegovy — for weight loss in 2021, and rival drugs have since followed.That upward trend may accelerate under the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, a temporary federal program that took effect July 1. Run by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the pilot program gives eligible Part D enrollees access to certain GLP-1 drugs for a $50 monthly copayment through the end of 2027.The program fills a long-standing gap. The federal rules that govern Medicare Part D coverage specifically exclude drugs used for weight loss. The Bridge program runs outside the normal Part D benefit, so enrollees can get the drugs even if their plan otherwise would not cover them.Three drugs are covered by the new program: Foundayo, Wegovy and the Zepbound KwikPen. To qualify, enrollees must be 18 or older and have a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or higher or a lower BMI paired with a condition such as high blood pressure, prediabetes, chronic kidney disease or a prior heart attack or stroke. BMI is an estimate of body fat based on height and weight.People who already get GLP-1s covered through Part D are not eligible, nor are those with type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea or fatty liver disease, whose plans may cover the drugs separately for those conditions. Approvals through the Medicare Bridge program stay valid through Dec. 31, 2027, unless the patient switches medications.Because the Bridge sits outside regular Part D, the $50 copayment does not count toward a plan's deductible or out-of-pocket limit and cannot be lowered by aid programs such as Extra Help. The rising use of GLP-1s has tracked with a reduction in obesity nationally. The U.S. adult obesity rate has dropped from a 2022 peak of 39.9% to 36.4% so far in 2026, while diabetes diagnoses have held steady since 2023 after 15 years of increases, according to Gallup.More informationSee this U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services fact sheet for more information about the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program.SOURCES: Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index, July 7; U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.What This Means For YouPeople with Medicare drug coverage managing their weight can now qualify to get certain GLP-1 drugs for $50 a month through the new Bridge program..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

GLP-1 Use Hits Record High As Medicare Opens Access To Weight-Loss Drugs

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