How much does Mounjaro cost without insurance?

Medications can be expensive—and, unfortunately, Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is no exception. With a list price of $1,069.08, the cost of Mounjaro can be a barrier to some potential patients. Fortunately, however, there are ways to save on the once-weekly prescription medication, even without health insurance. 

Keep reading to learn more about the cost of Mounjaro with and without insurance as well as ways to save on the drug, from Mounjaro coupons to manufacturer savings cards. 

Without insurance Mounjaro costs $1,069.08 for a month’s supply (four pre-filled pens, each with a single dose of the drug to be injected weekly). That breaks down to $267.27 per week or $13,898.04 per year. 

The list price represents the cost at which drug manufacturer Eli Lilly sells Mounjaro to wholesalers that in turn distribute the medication to pharmacies. It does not represent the actual retail price of the drug or factor in any insurance copays or Mounjaro coupons. How much you will pay for Mounjaro depends on several factors, including your location, insurance coverage (if any), pharmacy, and purpose of prescription. Insurance companies are more likely to cover Mounjaro when it's prescribed for type 2 diabetes—the drug’s use approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—than when it's given off-label for weight loss. The price of your prescription can also vary if you have coupons or use the Mounjaro Savings Card offered by Eli Lilly—but more on that in a few. 

With that in mind, here’s how much a month of 5 mg of Mounjaro costs at different pharmacies, according to SingleCare.

*While prices were valid at the time of publication, they may vary based on date and location. For the most accurate estimates, refresh the SingleCare searches and enter your zip code.

Getting Mounjaro for free would mean that your insurance fully covers the cost of the drug, and you don’t have a deductible and/or copay. While this is theoretically possible with certain insurance plans, chances are that you won’t get Mounjaro for $0. You will likely have to pay a copay or a deductible, and how much that will be depends on your insurance plan coverage.

While getting Mounjaro for $0 is unlikely, you might be able to get it for as little as $25 for a one-month supply, which brings us to…

Accessing Mounjaro can be cost prohibitive for many people no matter their insurance coverage or lack thereof. Fortunately, there are a variety of ways to save on the price of the drug, including manufacturer coupons and savings cards. Some pharmacies and discount programs may also offer Mounjaro at a lower price. Additionally, you can consider exploring not-for-profit organizations that assist with prescription costs, such as NeedyMeds. 

Mounjaro Savings Card

The Mounjaro Savings Card is available through Eli Lilly. Depending on your eligibility, you may pay only $25 for a one- or three-month supply of Mounjaro. Unfortunately, the Mounjaro Savings Card is only available to people with commercial health insurance (aka those not insured through Medicare, Medicaid, or another government-funded insurance program). If you have commercial insurance that doesn’t cover Mounjaro, the savings card provides up to $473 off the monthly prescription. Other eligibility requirements for the manufacturer’s offering include being a resident of the United States or Puerto Rico and being prescribed Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes. 

Mounjaro coupons and prescription cards

Individual pharmacies and retailers may offer their own coupons for Mounjaro. And guess what? You don’t necessarily have to have insurance to reap these rewards. 

The following options offer online databases, which you can use to determine whether your prescription is eligible for discounts, how much you may be able to save, and where the savings are accepted. Keep in mind that pharmacy discount cards cannot be stacked or combined with insurance discounts.

• Costco Membership Prescription Program: Through this program—which is available to Costco members who are uninsured or underinsured—you can save up to 80% on drug costs depending on the medication, pharmacy, and your location. To score the savings, however, you must fill your Rx at Costco or participating neighborhood pharmacies. 

• Optum Perks: This program is free and available to everyone, regardless of insurance status, and it can allow you to save up to 80% on most prescription drugs, depending on the medication, pharmacy, and your location. Optum Perks offers both single-use coupons for specific medications and a general pharmacy discount card that can be used on a wide range of prescriptions. Both options can be used at over 64,000 pharmacies across the US.

• WellRx: Like Optum Perks, WellRx is a free membership program that’s accessible to anyone, with or without insurance. Through the program, you can save up to 80% on various prescription medications, depending on the medication, pharmacy, and your insurance. In addition to coupons for specific drugs, WellRx also offers a general discount card for various drugs and both offerings can be used at more than 65,000 pharmacies nationwide.

• GoodRx: A free service that offers coupons on many prescription medications, including Mounjaro.

• SingleCare: A free service that offers coupons on many prescription medications, including Mounjaro. 

In order to get Mounjaro, you first need to get a prescription for the drug from a licensed healthcare provider. So, the first step on the road to getting the drug is to schedule an in-person appointment with a qualified provider. 

That said, you may find it more convenient to get a prescription for Mounjaro through an online telehealth service like Ro. Online telehealth services connect you with a licensed healthcare professional who can review your medical history and recommend treatment during an online visit, if appropriate. If they determine Mounjaro is right for you, you’ll be given a prescription which you can use to get the medication from your preferred pharmacy.

If you have health insurance and your insurance provider covers your medication, that may significantly lower the cost of Mounjaro. Some insurance plans may cover it for treating type 2 diabetes—the condition Mounjaro is FDA-approved to treat—but not for treating obesity alone, which is an off-label use of Mounjaro. 

To see if your insurance offers coverage for Mounjaro, review your plan’s drug formulary or call your insurance to ask. If Mounjaro isn’t included in your plan, your healthcare provider can request a prior authorization. This process involves your provider submitting documentation to your insurance company explaining the medical necessity of the medication. If it’s approved, your insurance will likely cover some or most of the cost. If denied, you can work with your healthcare provider to appeal the decision or explore other savings options, such as coupons and prescription savings programs.

Does Medicaid cover Mounjaro?

While some Medicaid programs cover weight loss drugs, others may require prior authorization or other treatments to be tried first. As a newer drug, Mounjaro may not be covered by Medicaid. The best way to find out if Mounjaro is covered is to contact your state Medicaid agency and review your plan’s drug formulary. 

Does Medicare cover Mounjaro?

Medicare may cover Mounjaro, but it depends on the reason your healthcare provider is prescribing it. Many Medicare plans cover Mounjaro when it’s prescribed for certain diagnoses, such as type 2 diabetes. The price you pay will depend on your copay and whether you have met your deductible. 

If you have a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, whether Mounjaro is covered will depend on your specific plan's formulary (list of covered drugs). If Mounjaro is not listed, you may still have options. You can work with your healthcare provider to request a formulary exception, which involves providing evidence Mounjaro is medically necessary and essential for managing health condition(s) you have. 

It's important to check with your Medicare Part D plan directly to determine if Mounjaro is covered under your specific coverage. You can usually find this information on your plan's website or by contacting their customer service department.

The cost of Mounjaro with insurance can vary widely depending on your specific insurance plan and coverage details. If your insurance covers Mounjaro for its FDA-approved use in treating type 2 diabetes, your copay or out-of-pocket expenses may be significantly reduced, potentially costing as little as $25 per month with the Mounjaro Savings Card. 

To get an accurate estimate, review your plan’s prescription drug coverage or contact your insurance provider directly to inquire about Mounjaro’s coverage under your plan.

Your private or commercial insurance company probably only covers Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes, not for weight loss. If you're trying to get Mounjaro covered by your health insurance, there are three things you can do: 

1. Talk to your healthcare provider. Before checking insurance coverage for Mounjaro, you need to ensure the medication is suitable for you. Talk to your doctor about whether Mounjaro is the right choice. Once you get a prescription for Mounjaro, you can look into insurance coverage

2. Check in with your insurance provider. Contact your health insurance provider to see whether your plan covers the medication. Make sure you also ask about your insurance plan’s out-of-pocket costs and if prior authorization is needed. Before contacting your insurance provider, you can review your health insurance plan’s drug list (also known as a drug formulary), which you can find in your plan information. 

3. Be persistent. If your insurance plan does not provide coverage for Mounjaro, you may be able to request it with the help of your healthcare provider. Eli Lilly offers a sample letter template of medical necessity your healthcare provider can use to request coverage. 

Recent years have seen the rise of several GLP-1 medications for type 2 diabetes and weight loss. Mounjaro stands out among these medications for being a dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonist and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, which may make it more effective for both blood sugar control and weight loss. However, depending on your personal health situation and insurance coverage, another GLP-1 medication may be a better option for you. Here’s a quick look at the most common alternatives to Mounjaro.

• Ozempic (semaglutide): Similar to Mounjaro, Ozempic is an injectable GLP-1 agonist that treats type 2 diabetes, in combination with diet and exercise. It can also be prescribed off-label for weight loss. Comparing Mounjaro vs. Ozempic, people taking 1 mg of Ozempic lost an average of up to 7% of their body weight, while those taking the highest dose of Mounjaro (15 mg) in another study lost over 20%.

• Wegovy (semaglutide): Wegovy shares the same active ingredient with Ozempic, semaglutide. However, it is FDA-approved specifically for weight management, in combination with diet and exercise, for people with a BMI of 30 and above or a BMI of 27 and above who also have a weight-related medical condition. A weekly dose of the maximum dose of Wegovy (2.4 mg) has been shown to help people lose an average of 15% of body weight. Wegovy is also FDA-approved for reducing cardiovascular risks in people with heart disease and obesity or overweight.

• Saxenda (liraglutide): Saxenda is also FDA-approved for chronic weight management, in combination with diet and exercise. Within one year of starting Saxenda, the majority of participants lost at least 5% of their body weight, according to clinical studies.

• Trulicity (dulaglutide): Trulicity is a GLP-1 agonist for type 2 diabetes that can also lead to weight loss, with decreased appetite being a common side effect. In clinical trials, people taking Trulicity lost between 1% to 2% of their body weight by six months, depending on their dose. When used in higher doses, and in combination with metformin, another diabetes medication, people lost up to 4.6% of their body weight.

• Bydureon (exenatide): Bydureon also treats type 2 diabetes, and can result in weight loss. Some studies indicate it promotes weight loss, along with lower BMIs and waist circumferences, among people who are obese or overweight but don’t have diabetes. However, other studies have found that, over the long term, the weight loss achieved with Bydureon is comparable to that achieved with a reduced-calorie diet.

• Zepbound (tirzepatide): This medication contains the same active ingredient as Mounjaro and is available in exactly the same dosages. The difference is that Zepbound is FDA approved for weight management while Mounjaro is FDA approved for diabetes management. This distinction is most important when it comes to getting insurance coverage for your medication since some insurers may cover diabetes treatment but not weight loss treatment or vice versa.

What’s considered a healthy body weight can vary from person to person. For one-on-one support and a personalized treatment plan for weight loss, consider the Ro Body program or your primary healthcare provider.

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Current version

October 07, 2024

Written by

Lindsay Curtis

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.