The Medicare GLP-1 Bridge starts July 1, 2026 — and the single most common question right now is some version of "How do I sign up?" or "Where's the enrollment form?"

Here's the short answer, straight from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): there is no sign-up. You do not register, opt in, or fill out an enrollment form to use the Bridge. If you're in the right kind of plan and you meet the medical rules, your $50 copay is applied at the pharmacy automatically.

That's reassuring — but it also means a few things do still have to line up before July 1. This guide explains exactly what "no sign-up" means, what actually controls your access, and the short checklist worth doing this month.

The direct answer: no enrollment, no opt-in

CMS has been explicit: Medicare beneficiaries do not need to take any action to access GLP-1 drugs through the Bridge, and there is no separate registration. There is no website to "claim" your spot, no phone line to call to enroll, and no form to mail.

If you ever see a site or ad telling you to "sign up for the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge here" — treat it as a red flag. (More on that below.)

So if there's no sign-up, what decides whether you actually pay $50? Three things.

What actually controls your $50 access

1. You're in an eligible Part D plan. The Bridge runs through Medicare Part D. You need to be enrolled in an eligible Part D plan type — either a standalone Part D drug plan or a Medicare Advantage plan that includes drug coverage. If you have no Part D coverage at all, that's the one thing you may need to fix (and you can only change plans during specific windows).

2. You meet the clinical criteria. The Bridge is for using a GLP-1 to reduce excess weight and keep it off. The qualifying medical rules at the time you start are:

  • BMI ≥ 35, or
  • BMI ≥ 30 with heart failure, uncontrolled high blood pressure, or chronic kidney disease, or
  • BMI ≥ 27 with prediabetes, a prior heart attack, a prior stroke, or symptomatic peripheral artery disease.

3. You have a valid prescription for a covered drug. The Bridge covers all formulations of Wegovy (injection and tablets), Foundayo, and the Zepbound KwikPen — and only those. The single-dose Zepbound vial and pen are not included, and Ozempic and Mounjaro are not in the Bridge at all (those are diabetes drugs).

If those three boxes are checked, the $50 copay applies. No form required.

What's happening in June — before launch

This is the part that makes the next few weeks worth paying attention to. CMS is rolling out the operational details right now:

  • Prior authorization details, including the Bridge prior-authorization fax form, are being published this month (June 2026). Your prescriber uses this — you don't.
  • More beneficiary guidance is coming before July 1. CMS has said additional "how to access it" information for patients will be posted ahead of launch.

In other words: the program isn't something you race to sign up for — it's something your doctor and pharmacy get set up to process on your behalf.

Your June checklist (the useful version)

Since there's no enrollment, the productive things to do this month are about being ready on day one:

  1. Confirm you have Part D coverage. No drug plan = no Bridge. Check your plan card or your Medicare account.
  2. Check whether you meet the clinical criteria. Our eligibility quiz walks you through the BMI and condition rules in two minutes — or read the full eligibility breakdown.
  3. Book a visit with a prescriber. A prior authorization has to be submitted for you, so you need a doctor who'll prescribe a covered GLP-1. Don't have one? Find a provider.
  4. Know which drug you want. Read which drugs the Bridge covers so your prescription is for something the program actually pays for.
  5. Set your expectations on cost. The $50/month is real, but it does not count toward your Part D deductible or your out-of-pocket cap, and Extra Help/LIS doesn't apply to it.

Watch out for "sign-up" scams

Because so many people are searching for an enrollment form that doesn't exist, expect lookalike sites and ads to fill the gap. Anything that asks you to "register for the GLP-1 Bridge," pay a fee to enroll, or hand over your Medicare number to "secure coverage" is not legitimate. The Bridge has no enrollment step, and CMS never charges to join it. When in doubt, verify at Medicare.gov.

Bottom line

You don't sign up for the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge — there's nothing to sign. Starting July 1, 2026, the $50 copay applies automatically when you're in an eligible Part D plan, meet the clinical criteria, and have a prescription for a covered drug. Spend June getting those three things in place, not hunting for a form.

If you don't end up qualifying, you still have routes to lower-cost GLP-1s — see your options if you don't qualify.

Not sure where you stand? Take the 2-minute eligibility quiz →