Dr. Oz’s GLP-1 Bridge could work, but it isn’t a model for price controls  

Earlier this year, Dr. Mehmet Oz announced from his perch atop the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that eligible Medicare Part D beneficiaries will be able to access select GLP-1 obesity medicines for $50 per month, starting July 1. The program, called the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, will run through the end of 2027 and include medicines such as Wegovy, Zepbound and Foundayo when used for weight reduction.  

For seniors and Americans with long-term disabilities struggling against obesity and related health problems, this is good news. Obesity is a serious chronic disease. It raises the risk of diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, and so many other costly conditions. Patients should not be locked out of modern treatments simply because Medicare rules have not kept up with the rapid pace of innovation. 

But we also have to be honest about what this policy is. 

This is not a normal market price for GLP-1s, nor is it proof that Washington has discovered the correct price for obesity medicines. It is a temporary subsidy program for Medicare Part D patients. CMS says the Bridge will operate outside the normal Part D payment flow. Pharmacies will collect the $50 copay from patients, and a central processor will handle payments to pharmacies. Manufacturers........

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