Popular Eli Lilly weight-loss drug Zepbound can be covered by Medicare plans to treat sleep apnea after it received Food and Drug Administration approval last month.

Zepbound is not covered by Medicare or many other insurance plans as a treatment for weight loss. The injectable treatment costs about $1,000 a month without insurance.

El Lilly’s (LLY) blockbuster weight-loss drug Zepbound is now eligible for Medicare coverage. The news could significantly expand access to the popular, yet costly treatment.

Medicare has announced the expansion of coverage for Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, a breakthrough drug in the treatment of autoimmune conditions. Find out how this move impacts patients and healthcare accessibility.

According to BMO Capital Markets, Medicare coverage of Lilly’s Zepbound opens the door to using secondary indications to secure CMS coverage for obesity drugs.

Medicare now covers Eli Lilly's Zepbound for obstructive sleep apnea, FDA-approved for obesity and sleep apnea treatment, reducing apnea events by 62.8%.

Eli Lilly’s obesity drug Zepbound is now covered by Medicare for sleep apnea treatment, expanding access to the costly medication. This comes after Zepbound’s FDA approval for a secondary use, allowing Medicare coverage.

Both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are studying their weight loss drugs to treat fatty liver disease, chronic kidney disease, sleep apnea and more. To be covered, these drugs would need to have late-stage trial results and then seek FDA approval for these uses.

Terence Flynn, Biotech Analyst at Morgan Stanley, discusses Eli Lilly's recent stock boost and its designation as Morgan Stanley's top pick for 2025. He highlights the robust growth potential of Eli Lilly's drug Zepbound,