The calendar matters here. On July 1, 2026 — 26 days from today — the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program launches, giving eligible Medicare beneficiaries access to Wegovy (semaglutide) injection and pill for a $50 monthly copay. For San Antonio, where an estimated 17% of Bexar County adults have diagnosed Type 2 diabetes — nearly double the national average of roughly 9% — and where approximately 72% of adults are overweight or obese compared to 42% nationally, this policy launch is among the most consequential healthcare access changes in the city's modern history. No city in America has more to gain from affordable GLP-1 access than San Antonio. And the countdown has now entered its final month.
To understand why July 1 matters so specifically for San Antonio residents, consider the populations it serves. The city's Medicare-covered population — principally adults 65 and older, plus disabled individuals of any age — numbers approximately 200,000 in Bexar County. Many of these residents have both obesity and cardiovascular disease or established heart disease. That combination is the exact clinical profile for which Novo Nordisk's Wegovy is FDA-approved under its cardiovascular indication — the SELECT cardiovascular outcomes trial found that semaglutide reduced the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death) by 20% in adults with obesity and established heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Bexar County. The $50 copay is a potential lifesaver for a population that currently pays $1,000+ per month out of pocket for brand-name injectable Wegovy.
