Medicare to Cover Weight-Loss Drugs — But Most Seniors Don't Know

A big change is coming for millions of older Americans — and most of them haven't heard about it yet.

Starting Wednesday, July 1, seniors covered by Medicare (the U.S. government's health insurance program for people 65 and older) can finally get popular weight-loss drugs at an affordable price. This is the first time these medications have been covered.

The program is called the Bridge demonstration program, run by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS, the agency that manages Medicare). Eligible seniors will pay just $50 per month for these drugs.

The medications come from two major drug companies:

• Novo Nordisk — maker of Wegovy and Ozempic
• Eli Lilly — maker of Zepbound and Mounjaro

These drugs have been hugely popular but expensive and hard to get for many people.

The problem? Almost nobody knows about it.

• 82% of older Americans don't know Medicare is about to cover these drugs
• This includes 79% of Republicans and 84% of Democrats
• The survey covered more than 2,100 people aged 65+

Why so little awareness? The government says it held back on advertising on purpose, because people act on a benefit only when it's actually available. CMS plans more promotion after launch to avoid wasting taxpayer money.

Surprisingly, the drug companies have also stayed quiet. Novo Nordisk spent nearly $500 million on U.S. advertising for Wegovy and Ozempic in just nine months of 2025, yet barely promoted this new senior coverage.

Important: signing up isn't automatic. To get coverage, seniors must:

• Be enrolled in Medicare Part D (the prescription drug part of Medicare)
• Meet eligibility rules
• Get a prescription from a doctor
• Receive "prior authorization" (approval before treatment starts) from CMS

Experts warn that because the program runs directly through CMS — not through private insurance plans — there's no insurance company spreading the word. That means many eligible seniors may take a long time to learn they qualify.

Bottom line: A landmark health benefit is here, but spreading the word will be the biggest challenge.

This is an AI-generated summary. Read the original article at: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/06/28/medicare-will-soon-cover-obesity-drugs-but-many-seniors-may-not-know.html