Wegovy® Access Expands for Medicare Beneficiaries with Obesity Through the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge Starting July 1, 2026

Key Points

• Eligible Medicare patients living with obesity will gain access to Wegovy® (semaglutide) injection and pill for a $50 monthly copay.
• Alongside diet and exercise, Wegovy® delivers significant weight loss for adults living with obesity. It also holds FDA approval to lower the risk of major cardiovascular events — including death, heart attack, or stroke — in adults living with obesity who have known heart disease, a distinction unique to Wegovy®.
• By joining the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, Novo Nordisk broadens patient access to authentic, FDA-approved Wegovy®.

 Beginning July 1, 2026, the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge will give eligible Medicare beneficiaries living with obesity access to Wegovy® (semaglutide) injection and tablets for a $50 monthly copay†, following yesterday’s announcement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The program marks a meaningful milestone, opening the door to FDA-approved Wegovy® for millions of Medicare patients who can now partner with their healthcare professional to start — and stay on — proven treatment.

A Distinction That Matters for Seniors

“Obesity is a serious, common chronic disease facing older Americans, and Wegovy® is the only weight management medicine proven to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular death in patients who also have known heart disease. That distinction matters for seniors age 65 and older, who have a high burden of both conditions,” said Jamey Millar, executive vice president, US Operations of Novo Nordisk. “We welcome the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge as an important step in getting Wegovy® to more patients and will continue to work with CMS, healthcare professionals, pharmacists, and patient advocates to support implementation and help eligible seniors access the care they need and deserve.”

How the Program Works

Specifically, the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge offers eligible patients access to Wegovy® for weight management. The program will roll out nationwide across all states and territories, covering all doses and formulations of Wegovy® injection and Wegovy® pill, and will run through the end of 2027.

In addition, eligible Medicare beneficiaries will continue to access Wegovy® for its other FDA-approved indications through their standard Part D benefits — including to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with established CV disease who also have obesity or overweight.

Implementation and Access

Beyond the program launch, Novo Nordisk is actively working with CMS, healthcare professionals, pharmacists, and patient advocacy organizations to streamline implementation, raise awareness among eligible beneficiaries, and ensure patients can secure the medicines they need. Additional program details are available at CMS.gov.

Expanding affordable access to medicines remains a priority for Novo Nordisk, and the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge builds on the company’s sustained effort to deliver authentic, FDA-approved Wegovy® to patients. Those seeking information on affordability options, with or without insurance, can visit NovoCare.com.

†Terms apply. For eligible Medicare patients prescribed Wegovy® for a covered FDA-approved indication. Eligibility criteria will be determined by CMS. This information is not a guarantee of coverage. Month defined as 1 box of 4 pens of Wegovy® and 1 bottle of 30 tablets of Wegovy®.

About obesity

Obesity is a serious, chronic, progressive, and complex disease that requires long-term management.^1-3 One key misunderstanding is that this is a disease of just lack of willpower, when in fact there is underlying biology that may impede people living with obesity from losing weight and keeping it off.^1,3 Obesity is influenced by a variety of factors, including genetics, social determinants of health, and the environment.^4,5

About Novo Nordisk

Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NOV) is a leading global healthcare company that’s been making innovative medicines to help people with diabetes lead longer, healthier lives for more than 100 years. This heritage has given us experience and capabilities that also enable us to drive change to help people defeat other serious chronic diseases such as obesity, rare blood and endocrine disorders. We remain steadfast in our conviction that the formula for lasting success is to stay focused, think long-term, and do business in a financially, socially, and environmentally responsible way. With a US presence spanning 40 years, Novo Nordisk US is headquartered in New Jersey and employs approximately 10,000 people throughout the country across more than 10 manufacturing, R&D and corporate locations in seven states plus Washington DC. For more information, visit novonordisk-us.com, Facebook, Instagram, and X.

What is Wegovy^®?

Wegovy^® (semaglutide) injection is a prescription medicine used with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity to:

• reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with known heart disease and with either obesity or overweight.
• help adults and children aged 12 years and older with obesity, or some adults with excess weight (overweight) who also have weight-related medical problems to lose weight and keep the weight off.

Wegovy^® (semaglutide) tablets are a prescription medicine used with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity to:

• reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with known heart disease and with either obesity or overweight.
• help adults with obesity, or some adults with excess weight (overweight) who also have weight related medical problems to lose weight and keep the weight off.

Wegovy^® contains semaglutide and should not be used with other semaglutide-containing products or other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines.

It is not known if Wegovy^® injection is safe and effective:

• to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events (death, heart attack, or stroke) in people under 18 years
• to help children under 12 years of age lose weight and keep the weight off.

It is not known if Wegovy^® tablets are safe and effective for use in people under 18 years of age.