The short answer

The best appointments are the ones you walk in prepared for. Bring these questions — about whether a GLP-1 is right for you, which one, side effects, and how Medicare's new $50 Bridge covers the cost — and let your doctor do the answering.

This is a list of questions to ask, not a list of answers — your doctor knows your full health history and the rest of your medications, so the answers are theirs to give. Print this page, check off the ones that matter to you, and take it to your appointment. Not sure you even qualify for coverage yet? Our 2-minute eligibility quiz is a good first step.

First, the safety questions to raise

Before anything else, give your doctor the information they need to keep you safe. These are the most important to bring up:

  • "Given my health history, is a GLP-1 a good fit for me?"
  • "Here's my family history — does anyone have medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) or MEN2?" GLP-1 medications carry an FDA boxed warning for a risk of thyroid C-cell tumors (seen in animal studies), and they are not for people with a personal or family history of MTC or MEN2 (FDA prescribing information). Your doctor needs to know this.
  • "I've had — or my family has had — pancreatitis, gallbladder, or kidney problems. Does that change anything?" Acute pancreatitis has been reported with these drugs, so your history matters.
  • "Here's every medication and supplement I take — do any of them interact?"

The goal isn't to scare you — it's to make sure your doctor can rule out the few situations where these medications aren't safe. (Wondering whether you meet the Medicare coverage rules? See who qualifies for the Bridge.)

Which GLP-1 — and how will it work for me?

  • "Which medication do you recommend for me, and why?"
  • "How does it actually work, and how much weight loss is realistic for someone my age?"
  • "How long will I likely need to stay on it?"

For Medicare specifically, the new Bridge covers a specific list of drugs — Wegovy, Zepbound (the KwikPen pen), and Foundayo — so it's worth asking which of these your doctor would choose. See which drugs the Bridge covers.

Side effects — and how will we handle them?

  • "What side effects are most common, and which ones should I call you about right away?"
  • "I'm worried about nausea — what's the plan if it hits?" (Our guide on stopping nausea on GLP-1s has practical tips to discuss.)
  • "At my age, how do we protect my muscle while I lose weight?" (More on preventing muscle loss in seniors.)
  • "Do I need any blood work before I start, or while I'm on it?"

The Medicare cost-and-coverage questions (don't skip these)

This is where a little persistence saves you real money:

  • "Will the new Medicare GLP-1 Bridge cover this for me?" Starting July 1, 2026, eligible Part D members can get a covered GLP-1 for a flat $50 a month — read more in our Medicare & GLP-1 guide.
  • "Have you submitted a Bridge prior authorization before?" Worth asking, because the request goes to CMS — not your own Part D plan — which trips up some offices. Our prior authorization guide explains the process.
  • "What will I actually pay — and what happens if I'm denied?"
  • "If I don't qualify, what are my options?" (What to do if you don't qualify covers savings programs and other routes.)

Monitoring, follow-up, and stopping

  • "How will we know it's working, and how often will we check in?"
  • "What happens if I decide to stop — does the weight come back?" (See what happens when you stop a GLP-1.)
  • "What's our plan if it isn't working for me?"

Print it — then bring the paperwork too

Use the Print this list button at the top to take these questions into your appointment. And once you've had the conversation and decided to move ahead with the Bridge, our Doctor's Visit / paperwork checklist covers exactly which documents to bring and the request to make, so your doctor can file everything in one visit.

Data note

Safety information is from the FDA prescribing information for Wegovy® and Zepbound® (2025); the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge launches July 1, 2026. This page is a list of questions to discuss with your doctor — it is educational and not medical advice. Confirm coverage details with your plan or Medicare.gov.