GLP-1 use in adults 65 and older with MASLD was linked to a 45% lower risk of death, and a 28% lower risk of hepatic decompensation, a new Houston Methodist Research Institute study shows.
News|Articles|September 3, 2026
FAQ: What health plans need to know about Medicare's GLP-1 Bridge program ahead of open enrollment
Author(s)Briana Contreras
Medicare’s GLP-1 Bridge program offers eligible Part D beneficiaries select GLP-1s for weight loss at $50/month, outside Part D, pending BALANCE model.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Medicare's GLP-1 Bridge program took effect July 1, 2026, allowing qualifying beneficiaries to buy certain weight-loss GLP-1 medications for $50 a month. Kylie Stengel, a principal at Avalere Health, answered several of the questions below about how the program works. Additional detail is drawn from CMS's own
Related to this article
New data from Sutter Health suggest the real gap in GLP-1 access is physician awareness, not insurance coverage — and fixing it closed outcome disparities across every racial and ethnic group.
Research findings presented at the CHEST meeting show that false positives may make patients more adherent to screening. Qualitative research shows that patients want more explanation and results communicated verbally.
David Chen, PharmD, explains how physician-led formulary decisions — not rebates — power Kaiser Permanente’s biosimilar strategy, and why he thinks other health systems could do the same.
10 research abstracts presented at the CHEST meeting are split on whether hospital admission during the weekend is assoicated with worse outcomes than admission on weekdays.
Research findings scheduled to be presented at the CHEST meeting show broad positive cardiopulmonary effects from GLP-1s and an association with a reduced risk of acute respiratory failure.
Chad Hatfield, Pharm.D., of UC Davis Health, says 340B savings fund free clinics and mental health care that could shrink as the program’s future shifts.
Fewer than 1 in 5 eligible adults get lung cancer screening. Experts told MHE over email that health plans can help by easing cost, coverage and approval barriers.
Advertisement
Advertisement