The Effects of Long-Term Obesity Care Three Years Later

Three years after beginning obesity treatment, Karen isn’t interested in talking about her weight. She wants to talk about walking.

At 76 years old, Karen walks a mile and a half every day, goes to the gym four to five times a week for light strength and resistance training, travels to visit family and friends and spends time on the floor playing with her great-grandchildren before getting back up on her own.

Just a few years ago, even walking from her car to the grocery store required a cane.

That’s the difference three years of effective obesity care has made. Like many people living with obesity, Karen’s struggle had been lifelong.

By 2022, obesity had begun limiting nearly every aspect of her daily life. She was inactive and found herself relying on a cane for even short walks. That November, Karen began treatment with Tirzepatide. Less than a year later, she had reached her goal weight. 

She started exercising regularly. She regained the confidence to travel. She became more active with her adult grandchildren and friends. She no longer needed a cane. Even simple moments, like sitting on the floor with her great-grandchildren and standing up without assistance, became possible again.

For Karen, the greatest success was maintaining the health, mobility and independence she had worked so hard to regain. Unfortunately, maintaining that progress came at a cost because Medicare did not cover obesity medications. Karen paid entirely out of pocket for her treatment. Living on a fixed income meant making difficult financial decisions every month.

Even after years of successful treatment, her Medicare Part D plan denied coverage for Zepbound. Karen appealed twice, but both appeals were denied. She knew that without continued access to treatment, maintaining the life she had rebuilt would become much more difficult.

When Karen learned about the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge Program, she immediately got to work.

She printed information about the program for her primary care provider, including the provider guidance and prior authorization paperwork. At her appointment in June 2026, they reviewed everything together. Then Karen waited.

On July 2, she received a message through her patient portal letting her know she had been approved. After years of paying the full cost herself, Karen’s monthly medication cost dropped to $50. The financial relief was significant, but what mattered even more was knowing she could continue the treatment that had allowed her to stay active, independent and healthy.

“I know it’s only temporary,” she said, “but I’m hoping by the time December 2027 arrives, they will come up with something that will continue to help seniors have access to this medication. I know, 100%, if it wasn’t for Tirzepatide, I would have gained my weight back,” she said.

Success is often measured by the amount of weight someone loses, but three years later, Karen’s experience shows that the lasting impact of obesity treatment is measured in something much more important: the ability to stay active and continue living life without limitations.