WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Starting Wednesday, millions of older Americans on Medicare can now get obesity medications through a new initiative called the Bridge program. This program allows qualifying folks to pay a monthly copay of $50 for access to popular weight-loss drugs by Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly.
However, a recent survey by the Obesity Care Advocacy Network revealed that a whopping 82% of Americans aged 65 and older aren't even aware of this new benefit.
Among them, 79% of Republicans and 84% of Democrats said they didn't know. This survey was conducted with over 2,100 adults before the government decided to extend the Bridge program until 2027.
Unlike the usual Medicare drug coverage, getting into the Bridge program isn't automatic. To be eligible, beneficiaries need to have Medicare Part D, meet specific program criteria, get a prescription, and also obtain prior authorization from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) before they can start receiving coverage.
Healthcare experts are pointing out that limited outreach to the public might slow down adoption of this benefit, even though CMS has done a lot to educate doctors and pharmacists about it.
They mentioned that broader public promotions will kick in after the program launches, suggesting that beneficiaries will be more likely to respond once the benefit is actually available.
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