Reporting
Over 500,000 seniors used Medicare's $50 GLP-1 Bridge in its first two months
They saved a total of $216 million, the White House said in an August 31 fact sheet.
Two cash programs to check.
- Strut Health$149 a month, with auto-refillcompounded semaglutide, not FDA-approvedCheck price →
- Shed$199 a monthcompounded semaglutide, not FDA-approvedCheck price →
Compare what 26 programs charge this week
The Bridge opened on July 1, 2026, and runs through December 31, 2027. A Part D member who qualifies pays $50 a month for Wegovy, Foundayo and the Zepbound KwikPen. Zepbound vials and single-dose pens do not qualify.
A BMI of 35 or more qualifies on its own. A BMI of 30 or more qualifies with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, uncontrolled high blood pressure or stage 3a or higher chronic kidney disease. At 27 or more, the condition has to be pre-diabetes, a past heart attack or stroke, or symptomatic peripheral artery disease. All three need prior authorization, and the Bridge checker shows which one you meet.
A GLP-1 prescribed for type 2 diabetes, moderate to severe sleep apnea or MASH stays with the regular Part D plan instead.
What a GLP-1 costs on Medicare sets the $50 Bridge beside the cash prices for a senior who does not qualify.
The source
“In the two months since the launch of this program, over 500,000 seniors have saved a total of $216 million dollars on these life-changing medicines.”
Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Announces Deal with Nine Additional Pharmaceutical Manufacturers to Lower Drug Prices for Americans, The White House, August 31, 2026. Accessed September 10, 2026.
