Roughly 1.1 million Medicare beneficiaries have signed up to access discounted GLP-1s through CMS’ Bridge model, HHS Chief Counselor Chris Klomp said during an Oct. 7 Wall Street Journal event.
The pilot launched July 1, rolling out to Medicare Part D beneficiaries who meet specific clinical criteria. The pilot intends to reach beneficiaries needing anti-obesity medications for reasons other than Type 2 diabetes. Under Bridge, GLP-1s are available to eligible beneficiaries for $50 per month.
“That’s material savings,” Mr. Klomp said. “If you were paying $900, now you’re paying $50. That’s big.”
Leading up to the summer, CMS held off on its voluntary “Better Approaches to Lifestyle and Nutrition for Comprehensive hEalth,” or BALANCE, pilot for Medicare — which would have required engagement from Part D sponsors — and extended the Bridge program. The pilot is slated to run until the end of 2027.
In late August and early September, CVS Health and Walgreens told Becker’s that they had each dispensed more than 100,000 GLP-1 prescriptions through the Bridge program since the July kickoff. Rick Gates, chief pharmacy officer for Walgreens, previously said he expected the program to reach a “ceiling point” with participation, despite strong initial uptake.
“I think you will get to a natural run rate of patients that stay on — that get on these therapies, stay on these therapies — and some will transition off and then look for other ways to make sure they’re maintaining weight,” he said.
In August, CMS said it would start sharing monthly utilization reports with Part D plans in the fall, so insurers could better understand their members’ participation.
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