Eli Lilly's obesity drug Zepbound can now be covered by government-backed Medicare insurance plans for use in sleep apnea, broadening access to the blockbuster weight-loss treatment. The Wednesday statement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services comes after Zepbound in December became the first drug approved in the U.

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.

It opens the door for broader coverage and access to Zepbound, which is not currently covered by Medicare and many other insurance plans for weight loss.

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.