For decades, it’s been against the law for Medicare to pay for weight-loss medication. But that changed on July 1, with the launch of a new program called Bridge.
It gives some people over 65, or who have Medicare for other reasons, access to some weight management medications if they meet certain weight and health criteria.
Doctors who specialize in treating obesity, and study its impact on individuals and society, welcome this shift.
The policy began in the previous presidential administration, as recognition grew that obesity is a disease with complex causes and effective treatments.
But the new program doesn’t cover all those treatments, nor the services that can help people achieve and sustain weight loss over the long term. And it’s only open to people who meet certain health criteria.
Lauren Oshman, M.D., M.P.H., a physician who is board-certified in family medicine and obesity medicine, has been preparing for the program’s launch for months.
Oshman has been thinking about Medicare coverage of GLP-1 drugs for years, because her research focus in Type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Nearly 76% of older adults responding to a UM Health survey on the topic felt that Medicare should cover weight-loss medication. The poll also found that 60% of Americans aged 50 to 80 in 2023 who had a body mass index of 30 or above were interested in taking a weight management medication. A BMI of 30 is typically used as a cutoff for obesity, while 25 is used as the cutoff for overweight.
“Based on our data, and on the calls to my clinic over the past few months, I think there is going to be robust demand under the Bridge program,” said Dr. Oshman. “I’m thrilled that GLP-1- based medications like semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Zepbound) are going to be covered under Medicare, but several important medications are not. And it takes more than just a prescription to achieve sustained weight loss and the health benefits that go along with it. It takes wraparound services and support, none of which is addressed in the Bridge program.”
