Walgreens says about half of its Medicare Bridge patients had never taken a GLP-1

Walgreens says about half of the patients it has served through Medicare's GLP-1 Bridge program had never taken a GLP-1 medication before, and that demand for the $50-a-month program ran higher than the company expected ^[1].

Rick Gates, Walgreens' chief pharmacy officer, told NPR that stores stocked extra Wegovy, Zepbound and Foundayo ahead of the program's July 1 launch. "We expected there would be uptake," Gates said. "I think there's been a little bit more uptake than we even expected" ^[1].

Wegovy is a brand of semaglutide, Zepbound is a brand of tirzepatide, and Foundayo is a brand of orforglipron. The Bridge covers certain GLP-1 medications for chronic weight management ^[1][2].

What the pharmacy numbers show

CVS and Walgreens told NPR they have each filled around 100,000 Bridge prescriptions. CVS said it had filled more than 100,000 as of mid-August ^[1]. Walmart did not provide a prescription count but said Bridge prescriptions have been growing week over week and have been processed at more than 5,000 Walmart and Sam's Club pharmacies nationwide ^[1].

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services did not give NPR figures for how many people are using the program. CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz said in a video posted to X on July 29 that 250,000 beneficiaries had signed up, but NPR reported it is not clear whether those people were able to get the prior authorizations required to fill a Bridge prescription ^[1].

Before the program started, Medicare estimated roughly 4 million beneficiaries might qualify ^[1]. Jeremy Shane, a nonresident scholar at the USC Leonard D. Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy & Government Service, told NPR that the two chains' combined 200,000 prescriptions — plus possibly twice as many through other pharmacies — amounts to somewhere between 5% and 10% of the eligible population in a short period ^[1].

The administration has not said how much the 18-month program could cost. KFF, a nonpartisan health research group, estimates the bill could run between $1.3 billion and $10 billion, depending on participation. For context, KFF says Medicare Part D spending on prescription drugs in 2025 was $181 billion ^[1].

Side effects and staying on treatment

Gates said the treatment-naive share of patients is where pharmacies "naturally will lean in," because it matters that patients do not stop therapy over initial side effects such as nausea and diarrhea. "Those are the things that pharmacists can really help with," he said ^[1]. He also said Walgreens pharmacies had to adjust as the program got running but have not run into supply issues ^[1].

The Obesity Action Coalition wrote that the Bridge uses a separate nationwide process for prior authorization, pharmacy claims and payment, meaning beneficiaries, providers and pharmacies are all learning a new system. The group said it is too early to draw sweeping conclusions about the program's success ^[2].

Why it matters for patients

Bridge eligibility is narrower than the program's name might suggest. Medicare is generally barred by law from paying for weight loss drugs; under the pilot, coverage is allowed for people who meet conditions such as obesity combined with high blood pressure that is hard to control ^[1]. Beneficiaries are not eligible if they have sleep apnea or Type 2 diabetes, because Medicare Part D is already supposed to cover GLP-1 drugs for those conditions ^[1].

For people who do qualify, the copay is $50 for a monthly supply ^[2]. The program's early numbers suggest the price point is bringing in many first-time GLP-1 users, a group that may need more support in the first weeks of treatment than people who have taken these drugs before ^[1].

CVS told NPR it accepts a wide range of third-party prescription discount cards, manufacturer coupons and manufacturer vouchers for people who are not eligible for the program ^[1].

What happens next

The Bridge is scheduled to run through December 31, 2027 ^[1][2]. The Obesity Action Coalition noted that CMS has said the demonstration will generate information about GLP-1 utilization that can help inform future Medicare policy, including where administrative barriers exist ^[2]. How many of the 250,000 sign-ups Oz mentioned complete prior authorization and stay on treatment has not been disclosed.