Medicare will soon cover obesity medications, but many seniors may not know it
Injection pens for the Wegovy weight loss treatment, manufactured by Novo Nordisk A/S, on display during a press conference in Mumbai, India, on June 24, 2025.
Dhiraj Singh | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Millions of older Americans on Medicare are about to gain access to obesity medications for the first time — but this game-changing shift may be flying under the radar for many of them.
Starting Wednesday, eligible beneficiaries can receive obesity medications through Medicare’s new Bridge demonstration program for a monthly copay of just $50. The reporting represents a long-awaited victory for patients, doctors and obesity advocates who are pushing for broader access to the company’s blockbuster treatments Novo Nordisk And Eli Lillythat have remained out of reach for many Americans.
However, according to a survey released in early June by the Obesity Care Advocacy Network, a staggering 82% of older Americans — including 79% of Republicans and 84% of Democrats — say they don’t know that Medicare will soon begin covering obesity medications. The survey, conducted in late March among more than 2,100 adults aged 65 and over, was completed weeks before the government announced it would extend the Bridge program until 2027.
This data is perhaps no surprise: While the government has reached out extensively to health care providers and pharmacists, some doctors and other experts told CNBC that they found that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services or Novo and Lilly did limited promotion of the new coverage to the general public.
There may be good reasons for this. CMS did limited public disclosure of the program before July 1 because beneficiaries are “most motivated to act” when a benefit is actually available to them, an agency official told reporters Thursday. They added that CMS will conduct additional promotions after the launch “in the interest of good stewardship of our tax dollars.”
Other experts also told CNBC that it may come down to ensuring providers and pharmacies are prepared and resources are in place before widespread outreach.
Still, some experts say a lack of awareness could prevent some eligible adults from taking advantage of the new coverage and starting treatments immediately.
“I haven’t seen a lot of information for the public, and I think there will be a lot of people who have no idea at all about the Bridge program,” said Dr. Shauna Levy, medical director of the Tulane Bariatric and Weight Loss Center. “And I think it’s just going to take longer for patients to hear about it and then see if they’re eligible.”
Unlike traditional Medicare drug insurance, enrollment in the Bridge program is not automatic. Before coverage begins, patients must meet eligibility requirements, obtain a prescription, and obtain prior authorization from CMS.
A quiet run-up to the start
The relatively quiet lead-up to launch contrasts with the marketing campaigns that Novo and Lilly have run in the past for their obesity and diabetes drugs, which have appeared in everything from television commercials to subway commercials.
Novo spent nearly $500 million on U.S. advertising for its obesity drug Wegovy and its diabetes counterpart Ozempic in the first nine months of 2025, more than double the just over $200 million Lilly spent on advertising its rival shots Zepbound and Mounjaro, Reuters reported, citing data from advertising tracking firm MediaRadar.
“I was a little surprised that Lilly and Novo didn’t advertise more about seniors being ready to get their prescription,” said David Risinger, an analyst at Leerink Partners, adding that it takes time to make an appointment with a provider to get a prescription.
The Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk logos.
Mike Blake | Tom Little | Reuters
Medicare beneficiaries must be enrolled in Part D, a prescription drug plan, to qualify for the new coverage. However, because the Bridge Program is administered directly by CMS and not through Part D plans, private insurers do not have to play a role in educating beneficiaries about the new coverage.
“The whole marketing advantage of running Part D plans isn’t there,” said Kenneth Thorpe, a health policy professor at Emory University.
He said one of the biggest challenges in the rollout will likely be getting the word out about the program and figuring out who is eligible.
Eligibility for the program is broad, but certain patients do not qualify. This includes those who already receive GLP-1 coverage from their Part D plan for a use already covered by Medicare, such as: B. Type 2 diabetes, risk reduction for cardiovascular diseases or sleep apnea.
While advertising for GLP-1 coverage may not reflect the previous launch, there was some advertising leading up to the launch.
Targeted mentions on Novo’s social media and website promote the bridge program, Jamey Millar, the company’s executive vice president of U.S. operations, said in an interview Wednesday.
He acknowledged that the new coverage will not be promoted through linear TV advertising, but said he believes patient awareness will come from providers and pharmacies. According to some doctors, CMS has fully informed both sides about the upcoming program.
Millar compared the dynamic to the annual flu shot or the shingles shot for older adults.
“All seniors who walk into a retail pharmacy after July 1 take an average of eight medications, most of them oral. So the pharmacist has an opportunity to say: Did you know about Bridge?” he told CNBC. “So you’re ready for it, and then.” [health-care providers] as well as.”
The move may be intentional
Adamkaz | E+ | Getty Images
The limited publicity before July 1 may be intentional. A slower rollout could give doctors, pharmacies and CMS time to prepare before potentially large numbers of beneficiaries seek treatment.
“Typically, our view is that we should make sure physicians are prepared, similar to what we did with Foundayo, before providing widespread awareness to consumers,” Ilya Yuffa, president of Lilly USA and Global Customer Capabilities, said in an interview Wednesday.
Yuffa was referring to the recent launch of Lilly’s obesity pill Foundayo. Raising awareness among providers and the entire health care system first helps avoid “friction” between patients and doctors, he said.
Still, Yuffa said consumers should expect Lilly to see broader marketing efforts surrounding the availability of Foundayo and some form of Zepbound under the Bridge program.
Some experts suspected that CMS may also be trying to ensure the program can withstand an influx of interest. Beneficiaries must obtain prior approval before receiving coverage, and processing these applications could become a significant burden if demand spikes immediately after implementation.
“It may be that we go through the first month and see what mistakes we make so we can fix them, rather than everything crashing and burning within a month or two,” Dr. said. Holly Lofton, director of the Medical Weight Management Program at NYU Langone.
“The thing is, the access is there and hopefully the world will spread,” she said.
Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.
