The government has a new program called Bridge. It helps some older people get medicine for obesity.

政府推出了一項名為 Bridge 的新計畫，幫助部分長者獲取肥胖症藥物。

People with a high BMI can use this program. They pay 50 dollars every month for the medicine. Doctors must say the patient needs the drug first.

BMI 指數較高的人可以使用此計畫。他們每月支付 50 美元即可獲取藥物。但必須由醫生先確認患者需要該藥物。

Two big companies, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, will sell more medicine. They will make a lot of money. But, many people want the drug, so pharmacies may be too busy.

兩家大公司 Novo Nordisk 和 Eli Lilly 將銷售更多藥物，並將獲利豐厚。然而，由於許多人都需求該藥物，藥局可能會過於繁忙。

This program is not forever. It ends in 2027. The government wants private insurance companies to help, but these companies are worried about the cost.

此計畫並非永久，將於 2027 年結束。政府希望私立保險公司能提供協助，但這些公司對成本感到擔憂。

Many seniors can get medicine now. But they do not know if they can get it after 2027.

許多長者現在可以獲取藥物，但他們不知道 2027 年後是否還能獲取。

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has started the Bridge demonstration program. This initiative allows eligible Medicare patients to access GLP-1 medications to treat obesity.

美國醫療保險和醫療補助服務中心 (CMS) 已啟動 Bridge 示範計劃。此計畫允許合資格的 Medicare 患者使用 GLP-1 藥物治療肥胖症。

The Bridge program creates a temporary way to provide Medicare coverage for obesity drugs, which were previously banned by federal rules. Patients are eligible if they have a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or higher, or a lower BMI with other health issues like prediabetes or heart disease. These patients can access the therapy for a standard $50 monthly copayment, which is funded by taxpayers instead of private insurance. While Humana manages the authorizations, doctors must certify that the patient is eligible.

Bridge 計劃創造了一種臨時方式，為肥胖症藥物提供 Medicare 保障，而這些藥物此前被聯邦法規禁止。若患者的身體質量指數 (BMI) 為 35 或更高，或 BMI 較低但患有糖尿病前期或心臟病等其他健康問題，則符合資格。這些患者每月僅需支付 50 美元的標準共付額即可接受治療，該費用由納稅人而非私人保險公司資助。雖然由 Humana 管理授權，但醫生必須證明患者符合資格。

From a business perspective, this program significantly increases the number of potential patients for companies like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. Experts emphasize that these medications could generate over one billion dollars in annual revenue for each company, especially as older patients begin using pill-based versions of the drugs. However, this sudden increase in demand may put a lot of pressure on clinics and pharmacies.

從商業角度來看，該計劃顯著增加了 Novo Nordisk 和 Eli Lilly 等公司的潛在患者數量。專家強調，這些藥物每年可為每家公司創造超過 10 億美元的收入，特別是在年長患者開始使用藥片版本的藥物時。然而，需求突然增加可能會給診所和藥局帶來巨大壓力。

Despite these benefits, the long-term future of the program is uncertain. The Bridge program is set to end in 2027 unless the government changes the law or private insurers agree to join a new system called the 'Balance' program. Currently, many insurers are hesitant because of the high costs. Furthermore, the government hoped to lower drug prices by increasing the volume of sales, but this goal has not been fully met because not all private insurers are participating.

儘管有這些益處，該計劃的長期前景仍不確定。除非政府修改法律，或私人保險公司同意加入名為 "Balance" 的新系統，否則 Bridge 計劃將於 2027 年結束。目前，許多保險公司因成本過高而猶豫不決。此外，政府希望透過增加銷售量來降低藥價，但由於並非所有私人保險公司都參與，這一目標尚未完全實現。

The Bridge program gives millions of seniors immediate, affordable access to obesity medications, but its temporary status creates uncertainty about whether patients can continue their treatment in the long run.

Bridge 計劃讓數百萬名長者能立即且負擔得起地獲取肥胖症藥物，但其臨時狀態使得患者在長期是否能繼續治療方面存在不確定性。

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has initiated the Bridge demonstration program, granting eligible Medicare beneficiaries access to GLP-1 receptor agonists for the treatment of obesity.

美國醫療保險和醫療補助服務中心（CMS）已啟動 Bridge 示範計畫，使合資格的 Medicare 受益人能夠使用 GLP-1 受體激動劑治療肥胖症。

The Bridge program establishes a temporary regulatory mechanism to circumvent existing federal prohibitions on Medicare coverage for obesity-specific medications. Under this framework, eligible beneficiaries—defined as individuals with a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or higher, or those with lower BMIs presenting comorbidities such as prediabetes or cardiovascular dysfunction—may access GLP-1 therapies via a standardized $50 monthly copayment. This funding is derived from taxpayer allocations rather than private Part D insurers. The operational administration of prior authorizations has been contracted to Humana, though clinical eligibility must be certified by healthcare providers.

Bridge 計畫建立了一套臨時監管機制，以規避現行聯邦政府禁止 Medicare 承保肥胖專用藥物的規定。在此框架下，合資格受益人（定義為身體質量指數 (BMI) 達 35 或以上，或 BMI 較低但患有糖尿病前期的心血管功能障礙等併發症者）可透過每月 50 美元的標準共付額使用 GLP-1 療法。此項資金源於納稅人撥款，而非私營 Part D 保險公司。預先授權的運作管理已承包給 Humana，但臨床資格必須由醫療保健提供者認證。

From a market perspective, the program facilitates a significant expansion of the addressable patient population for Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. Analysts project that the inclusion of these medications could generate annual revenues exceeding one billion dollars per firm, with a particular emphasis on the adoption of oral formulations among the geriatric demographic. However, the transition to this model may induce systemic strain on clinical and pharmaceutical infrastructure due to an anticipated surge in demand.

從市場角度來看，該計畫顯著擴大了 Novo Nordisk 和 Eli Lilly 的潛在患者群體。分析師預計，將這些藥物納入計畫可為每家公司創造每年超過 10 億美元的收入，特別是老年族群對口服製劑的採納。然而，轉向此模式可能會因需求預期激增，而對臨床及藥房基礎設施造成系統性壓力。

Institutional instability persists regarding the long-term viability of this coverage. The Bridge program is scheduled to terminate at the end of 2027 unless legislative intervention occurs or the subsequent 'Balance' program achieves voluntary adoption by private insurers. The latter remains precarious, as insurers have expressed reservations concerning cost structures. Furthermore, reports indicate a divergence between the administration's intended pricing strategy—which sought lower costs in exchange for increased volume—and the actual outcomes, as certain pricing contingencies remained unmet due to the lack of universal private insurer participation.

關於此項保障的長期可行性，制度上仍不穩定。除非有立法干預，或隨後的「Balance」計畫獲得私營保險公司的自願採納，否則 Bridge 計畫預計將於 2027 年底終止。後者仍不確定，因為保險公司對成本結構表示保留。此外，報告指出政府原定的定價策略（旨在透過增加銷量以換取低成本）與實際結果之間存在分歧，由於缺乏私營保險公司的全面參與，某些定價條件未能達成。

The Bridge program provides immediate, subsidized access to obesity medications for millions of seniors, though its temporary nature creates clinical uncertainty regarding long-term treatment continuity.

Bridge 計畫為數百萬名長者提供了即時且有補貼的肥胖藥物管道，但其臨時性質對長期治療的連續性造成了臨床上的不確定性。