Eli Lilly Secures 70% Share of New Medicare GLP-1 Patients Following Coverage Launch

Approximately 700,000 seniors have started GLP-1 weight-loss treatments since Medicare introduced coverage in July, with Eli Lilly securing a 70% share of those new patients, Chief Executive Dave Ricks said in an interview with CNBC Business (https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/21/eli-lilly-ceo-david-ricks-glp-1s-medicare-coverage.html).

The coverage is administered through a temporary federal initiative called the "Bridge" program, which enables eligible participants to obtain anti-obesity drugs for a $50 monthly copay. The federal Medicare program provides health coverage to roughly 66 million Americans who are age 65 and older or have qualifying disabilities.

Lilly's injectable obesity drug Zepbound has captured the largest share of new Medicare adoption. The Bridge program covers Zepbound alongside Lilly's newly introduced oral treatment Foundayo, as well as rival Novo Nordisk's injectable and oral formulations of Wegovy.

Ricks noted that physicians are primarily prescribing Zepbound to patients with higher body weight and more severe medical complications, accounting for the bulk of Lilly's patient volume in the demographic.

Lilly's Foundayo pill, which launched in April several months after Novo's oral option, now represents one-third of new patients starting oral GLP-1 regimens under Medicare. Ricks stated the oral drug is primarily serving patients seeking convenience who need to lose moderate weight, roughly 25 to 30 pounds.

Addressing implementation, Ricks said the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services managed an effective rollout by educating healthcare providers and coordinating with pharmaceutical manufacturers and insurance systems with minimal reported logistical issues.