Medicare's pilot GLP-1 discount program has a catch. Some sick patients don't qualify

Medicare launched a pilot program that could streamline the process to get GLP-1s, with some seniors paying just $50 a month. But many people with the most serious illnesses won't get that discount.

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5760x3840+0+0/resize/5760x3840!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F67%2Fbb%2F3d032069404cbbcad71c9a6270d6%2Fglp-1-la-marca-02.jpg' alt='In January, Jeff La Marca got a prescription for the popular weight loss drug Zepbound, but he couldn't afford the $750 monthly price tag.'/><p>Medicare launched a pilot program that could streamline the process to get GLP-1s, with some seniors paying just $50 a month. But many people with the most serious illnesses won't get that discount.</p><p>(Image credit: Erica S. Lee)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-5931392' />