Ozempic® prescribed online for weight loss

The cost of your Ozempic medication can range depending on your insurance coverage—and we’re here to help with that!

As your insurance concierge, our team will work with your insurance provider to determine coverage for your GLP-1 medication. Please note that this medication is paid for separately from the Body Program, which is only available by cash pay and does not accept insurance. Currently, individuals with any government healthcare coverage, including Medicare, Medicare Supplement Plans, Medicaid, or TRICARE, are ineligible for the Ro Body Program as these plans typically do not cover the medications prescribed by the program. Unfortunately, this means that those who are eligible for Medicare cannot participate in the Ro Body Program.

While a Ro-affiliated provider may offer personalized guidance for each individual, in general, there are no foods to avoid while taking Ozempic. In fact, our Body Program makes a point to avoid labeling any food as “off-limits,” and instead guides you in finding an approach to food that’s both enjoyable and supports your weight loss goals.

However, if prescribed Ozempic, you might choose to avoid certain foods on days that your doses are increased. Some gastrointestinal side effects like nausea may occur when Ozempic doses are increased, so you might find that it’s best to avoid foods that make you feel gassy or bloated on days that you’re increasing your dose.

Due to significant demand, Novo Nordisk — the manufacturer of Wegovy, Ozempic, and Saxenda — expects supply shortages of some of these medications. Novo Nordisk is anticipating that demand for Wegovy will continue to outpace supply. Patients may have difficulty filling Wegovy prescriptions at the lower doses of 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, and 1 mg and Saxenda prescriptions through the remainder of 2023 and potentially beyond. We’ve seen that around half of patients are still unable to get access to the impacted Wegovy doses or Saxenda doses after 1 month of waiting.

Ro and Ro-affiliated providers are taking additional steps to support new and existing patients on their weight loss journeys. If you’re prescribed a GLP-1 medication and there’s more than a 30-day delay from the time your prescription is sent to the pharmacy to when it is filled, we’ll issue a credit to your account so that your next month of the Body Program is free. Read eligibility requirements here.

For patients who are prescribed Wegovy or Saxenda and are on their pharmacy's waitlist, our concierge is contacting your pharmacy periodically to check on the status of your prescription.

A provider may also make adjustments to a treatment plan for a patient on Wegovy or Saxenda if they determine it’s clinically appropriate. These adjustments may include prescribing alternate GLP-1 medications (if appropriate), working with you to create a personalized treatment plan, or recommending adjustments to diet, lifestyle, and current fitness activities.

For patients just getting started, the first steps in the Body Program are unaffected by the supply shortages — including taking a metabolic lab test and connecting with a provider to review their health history. If a provider ultimately determines Wegovy or Saxenda is a good fit, the sooner a patient joins the program, the sooner our team can get to work trying to find medication in stock at a pharmacy nearby.

All medications carry a risk of potential side effects. Ozempic’s side effects are typically mild and often improve within the first few weeks of treatment. When they occur, it’s usually when doses are increased, then tend to improve once a steady dose is reached. Some of the most common side effects include:

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Upset stomach

• Stomach pains

• Constipation

• Diarrhea

• Heartburn

• Acid reflux

• Belching and gas

• Dizziness

• Headaches

• Fatigue

More severe side effects are rarer but possible. Serious side effects include:

• Thyroid cancer—The FDA has issued its most serious warning (called a BOXED WARNING) that GLP-1s may be associated with a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma. So far, this side effect has primarily been seen in laboratory studies using rodents, so the risk to humans has not been determined.

• Pancreatitis

• Gallbladder disease

• Rapid heartbeat

• Severe allergy (hypersensitivity)

• Low blood sugar

• Vision problems (diabetic retinopathy)

• Kidney disease

• Suicidal thoughts or behaviors

Please see the full Prescribing Information, including the BOXED WARNING, for complete safety information.

Metabolic testing is required to participate in the program. It allows your provider to understand your metabolism to create a treatment plan that’s appropriate for you. Your provider will look at the following analytes: Hemoglobin, TSH, LDL Cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol, Total Cholesterol, Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN), Creatinine, and Triglycerides.

Depending on how you choose to take your metabolic test, the price will vary.

You can use your insurance to test at any Quest location. Quest is in-network with most major insurers, but out-of-pocket costs will vary based on your insurance plan and deductible. Contact your insurance company to understand your coverage. If you test at Quest without using your insurance, the cash pay price is around $520.

You can also purchase an at-home blood collection kit through Ro for $75.

If you live in a state where Quest is not available (ND, SD, WY), we’ll automatically send you an at-home collection kit for no charge.