Cost of weight loss drugs with and without insurance

On average, people taking injectable weight loss drugs lose between 5%–23% of their body weight. These medications can be a game changer for people with obesity who have historically struggled to lose weight. But the question on most people’s minds when they hear about drugs like Ozempic is “Can I afford it?” Well, maybe after “How quickly can I get it?”

The cost of injectable weight loss drugs ranges from $250 to $1,500 per month, depending on the drug, the pharmacy you use, and your insurance coverage. Weight loss pills can be a more affordable option, but they typically don’t lead to as much weight loss, and they’re not always approved for long-term use. With that in mind, this article focuses primarily on weight loss injections like Wegovy, Zepbound, and others.

Read on as we share how much weight loss injections cost without insurance and offer savings tips for each medication.

While it depends on the drug, weight loss injections cost between $249 to $1,500 for a monthly supply.  Different factors can affect the price of a drug, including your insurance coverage and the pharmacy you get it from. The most expensive weight loss injection is Saxenda, which can cost between $1,200 to $1,500 at the pharmacy, according to prescription discount service SingleCare. The cheapest weight loss injection without insurance is typically compounded semaglutide, which starts at $249 through Ro. 

In the table below, we’ve shared the average prices for a one-month supply of popular medications used for weight loss. The list price is the price at which the drug’s manufacturer sells the medication to wholesalers. The in-store range reflects the average retail price at various pharmacies (including Costco, Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, and others), according to SingleCare. It doesn’t account for any insurance coverage, pharmacy discounts, or other financial assistance. 

Keep in mind these prices change daily so they may be slightly different when you check your local pharmacy.

Insurance providers can differ in their coverage of weight loss drugs. For example, some insurance plans specifically exclude weight loss injections, including some employer-sponsored plans offered through Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, and Aetna. When insurance does cover weight loss medications like Wegovy and Zepbound, prior authorization is usually required. This means your healthcare provider will need to submit paperwork to your insurance company demonstrating that the medication is medically necessary for you. They may also need to show that you meet certain criteria, such as having a body mass index (BMI) of 27 or higher, or having a weight-related health condition, such as:

• High cholesterol

• High blood pressure

• Type 2 diabetes

Some drugs that are prescribed off-label for weight loss—such as Ozempic or Mounjaro—are FDA-approved for people with type 2 diabetes. So, if you have a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, your insurance plan may cover the medication. But, if you don’t have type 2 diabetes, these drugs may not be covered. 

To find out if your insurance covers weight loss drugs, contact your insurance plan directly using the member services phone number listed on your insurance card or by visiting their website. You can also review your plan’s drug formulary, which includes a list of all the medications covered by your plan. 

Does Medicare cover weight loss drugs?

Medicare typically does not cover weight loss drugs. Currently, Medicare is legally prohibited from covering drugs that are indicated for weight loss, including Wegovy and Zepbound. Some representatives have introduced a bill in Congress to change this, so it’s possible these drugs may be covered in the future—but as of today, they’re not. 

Drugs that are prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes may be covered under Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plans. Check the specific details of your plan to understand your coverage and out-of-pocket costs. 

“Medicare coverage for GLP-1 medications is currently very limited unless you have a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes,” says Dave Knapp, founder of On the Pen, a community education website about GLP-1s. “Other indications are expected soon, including those for tirzepatide and semaglutide under chronic weight management with certain comorbidities.”

“These future indications will likely include approvals for conditions like obstructive sleep apnea, heart failure, and eventually osteoarthritis,” says Knapp. “These ‘backdoor’ indications may gradually improve access for Medicare patients living with obesity and the above related comorbidities - who do not have type 2 diabetes.”

Does Medicaid cover weight loss drugs?

Each state decides what will be covered in their Medicaid program. To find out if Medicaid covers weight loss treatments in your state, review the drug formulary for your plan or contact your state Medicaid agency at Medicaid.gov.

With insurance, weight loss drugs cost much less, sometimes as low as $0. The cost of weight loss drugs with insurance varies depending on your plan’s prescription drug coverage, including any copays or deductibles. If you have insurance through your work, you may be eligible for manufacturer savings cards—even if your plan does not specifically provide coverage for weight loss drugs. These savings cards can cut the cost of a medication roughly in half, or bring it down to as low as $0 to $25 for a one-month supply. 

Here’s a quick breakdown of the available savings cards:

We review more details of these cards in a later section (see “How to save on the cost of weight loss drugs”).

When it comes to prescription drugs, generics are generally less expensive than brand names. But the FDA hasn’t approved generic versions of weight loss injections just yet. There are, however, compounded weight loss medications. 

Compounded medications are drugs that have been altered from the original version approved by the FDA. They’re made by compounding pharmacies to meet the needs of an individual patient (e.g. making an oral medication injectable, for someone who can’t swallow) or to increase supply when a particular drug is experiencing a shortage. Currently, several glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s), the category of drugs that includes weight loss injections, are in shortage—including Saxenda and Wegovy.

Compounded weight loss drugs contain the same active ingredient as the brand name drug. For example, compounded semaglutide uses semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic. But compounded semaglutide is not exactly the same as Ozempic, in part because it’s not made by Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic. Also, compounded medications are not subject to the same FDA review process as brand name drugs. However, they can be legally prescribed and sold, as long as compounding pharmacies comply with state and federal laws. 

Compounded weight loss drugs can be an affordable alternative to their brand-name counterparts. For example, Ro offers compounded semaglutide for $254 per month (plus the cost of membership).

Weight loss injections can be costly. But there are ways you can save on the cost of weight loss drugs, with or without insurance. 

Patient Assistance Programs (PAP)

Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Ozempic, offers a patient assistance program (PAP) for people with type 2 diabetes who are uninsured or have Medicare. To be eligible for the program, you must be a US citizen or legal resident with a total household income at or below 400% of the federal poverty level. If approved, you can get Ozempic for free for up to 12 months. 

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) sets the Poverty Guidelines annually. For 2024, those in a single-person household would need to have a total household income of $60,240 or below to be eligible for the Novo Nordisk PAP. To see if you might qualify, visit the HHS website and navigate to the Poverty Guidelines table for your state. Find the line that corresponds with the amount of people in your household, and multiply the poverty guideline by 4.

Wegovy and Saxenda, two weight loss drugs made by Novo Nordisk, are not included in their PAP. Eli Lilly, the maker of Zepbound and Mounjaro, also does not include these medications in their PAP.

Manufacturer savings cards

Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly both offer Savings Card programs for their GLP-1 medications, including their weight loss injections. If you qualify for the Savings Card, you may pay as little as $0 or $25 for weight loss drugs if your insurance covers the medication. If your plan doesn’t cover the medication, you may still be eligible for some Savings Card programs, and you could still save hundreds of dollars on your monthly refill. 

“Typically, these cards require the patient to have commercial insurance that is not government-sponsored (e.g., employer plans or marketplace exchange plans),” says Knapp. “However, Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and other government-funded programs are excluded by law.” 

Here’s a look at the cost of different weight loss drugs with a Savings Card, along with a link to each website if you want to learn more.

• With the Ozempic Savings Card, you can pay as low as $25 per refill (for those with coverage for Ozempic) or save up to $150 per month (for those without coverage) for up to 24 months. Learn more here.

• With the Wegovy Savings Card, you can pay as low as $0 per month (for those with coverage for Wegovy) or $650 per month (for those without coverage) for up to 13 fills of your prescription. Learn more here.

• With the Mounjaro Savings Card, you can pay as low as $25 per refill for up to 13 fills of your prescription. Your plan must include coverage for Mounjaro. Learn more here.

• With the Zepbound Savings Card, you can pay as low as $25 per refill (for those with coverage for Zepbound) or $650 per refill (for those without coverage) for up to 13 fills of your prescription. Learn more here.

• There is no Saxenda Savings Card at this time. The previous program was discontinued in June 2023. 

The terms of these savings programs can change at any time, and you may need to reapply for the program every 1–2 years to keep saving.

Pharmacy discount services

Finally, you can save on weight loss injection costs by using a pharmacy discount card or membership program. 

• The Costco Member Prescription Program can help you save up to 80% on various medications, if you fill your prescription through Costco and their partner pharmacies. You must be a Costco member to join the program. 

• Optum Perks is a free membership program that offers up to 80% off the cost of various prescription drugs. Their network includes over 64,000 pharmacies nationwide.

• ScriptSave WellRx is another free membership program that offers savings as high as 98% off the cost of brand and generic prescription drugs. The average savings is around 65%. Their network includes over 64,000 pharmacies nationwide.

• GoodRx is a free service that aggregates coupons for various pharmacies, so you can compare the cost of weight loss drugs at different pharmacies in your area. Savings can be as high as 80%.

• SingleCare is a free service that offers coupons for over 10,000 prescription medications at over 35,000 pharmacies. Savings can be as high as 80%.

Pairing a pharmacy discount with a manufacturer savings card "may cause the latter to be invalidated, as most manufacturer cards will not work alongside other discount programs,” says Knapp. Patients should communicate clearly with their pharmacist about all available discount programs to ensure compliance with the terms and maximize savings.

• The average GLP-1 cost without insurance can range from $249 to $1,500, depending on the drug.

• Among weight loss injections, Saxenda costs the most, with a retail price of $1,200 to $1,500. With a monthly price below $300, compounded semaglutide costs the least. 

• Weight loss drugs may or may not be covered by insurance. Weight loss drugs covered by insurance tend to be more affordable, costing between $0–$650 with a manufacturer savings card. 

• There are no generic versions of weight loss injections, but compounded versions can provide an affordable alternative to branded GLP-1s currently in shortage.

• You can save on the cost of weight loss drugs by taking advantage of patient assistance programs, manufacturer savings cards, and pharmacy discounts, if you qualify.

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Current version

December 05, 2024

Written by

Amelia Willson

Fact checked by

Patricia Weiser, PharmD

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About the medical reviewer

Patricia Weiser, PharmD

Patricia Weiser, PharmD, is a licensed pharmacist, health content writer, and medical reviewer with more than a decade of clinical experience in community and hospital pharmacy.