Wegovy pill cost with and without insurance

As the first oral GLP-1 for weight loss, the Wegovy pill (semaglutide) is an exciting, needle-free alternative to injections. But how much does it cost? Without insurance, coupons, or manufacturer discounts, the Wegovy pill has a list price of $1,349 per month. However, you can get it for much less — $149–$299 per month — if you pay cash on Ro or if your insurance covers it. 

Read on as we break down the prices for the Wegovy pill, with and without insurance.

Without insurance, the Wegovy pill has a cash price of $149–$299 per month, depending on the dose, on Ro. It also has a list price of $1,349.02.

Here’s a breakdown of the self-pay or cash prices for the Wegovy pill: 

Cash-pay prices for the Wegovy pill vary by dose. Similar to injectable Wegovy, the Wegovy pill follows a gradual dose titration schedule (i.e. providers prescribe a low starting dose and gradually increase it over a period of months to help acclimate your body to the medication): 

• Wegovy pill starting dose: 1.5 mg

• Wegovy pill step-up doses: 4 mg, 9 mg

• Wegovy pill maintenance dose: 25 mg

If you use a telehealth weight loss platform to obtain your prescription for the Wegovy pill, there may be an additional membership fee. For example, the Ro Body membership costs $39 for the first month, and then as little as $74 per month with a prepaid annual plan. In addition to your Rx (when eligible), the Ro Body weight loss program includes:

• Unlimited provider messaging

• Ongoing side effect and dose titration support

• Weight tracking and dose logging 

• One-on-one health coaching

• Dedicated insurance concierge

See if you qualify

If you don’t have insurance — or if your insurance doesn’t cover the Wegovy pill — there are still ways to save on the price of your Rx. Here are four of them:

• Pay cash on Ro. You can get the Wegovy pill for the lowest cash prices on Ro, thanks to Ro’s collaboration with Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Wegovy. To be eligible for these prices (ranging from $149–$299 per month, depending on the dose), you must pay cash for your prescription and not process your prescription through insurance.

• Price-shop different pharmacies. While the drugmaker’s list price for the Wegovy pill is $1,349.02 per month, pharmacies can set their own retail prices. Checking with various local pharmacies may score you a lower price on the Wegovy pill.

• Use a Wegovy discount card. These pharmacy-specific discount cards are available for free through websites such as BuzzRx, SingleCare, and Optum Perks. You’ll need to look up your prescription and download the coupon for your pharmacy to save. 

• Order a longer supply. Sometimes, ordering a two- or three-month supply of the Wegovy pill can get you a slight discount vs. ordering a monthly refill.

With insurance, the Wegovy pill usually costs anywhere from $25 to $299 per month. How much you’ll end up paying for oral Wegovy depends on your insurance coverage and eligibility for the Wegovy Savings Offer from Novo Nordisk.

• If you have a commercial insurance plan that includes coverage for Wegovy, you can pay as little as $25 for Wegovy with the manufacturer’s Wegovy Savings Offer. It offers a maximum savings of $100 off a one-month prescription, $200 off a two-month prescription, and $300 off a three-month prescription. 

• If your plan does not include coverage for Wegovy, the manufacturer’s offer caps your price at $149 per month for the 1.5 mg dose, $199 for the 4 mg dose, and $299 per month for the 9 mg and 25 mg doses.

The Wegovy Savings Offer is exclusively available to people with commercial insurance plans or people who are self-paying. People enrolled in government programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, are not eligible.

Is the Wegovy pill covered by Medicaid?

Medicaid coverage for the Wegovy pill varies by state. To check if your state Medicaid program covers the Wegovy pill, review your plan’s drug formulary. This is a list of all the drugs covered by your plan.

Is the Wegovy pill covered by Medicare?

Yes, the Wegovy pill may be covered by Medicare, depending on why it’s prescribed and your specific coverage. 

When prescribed for weight loss, Medicare Part D covers the pill under its GLP-1 Bridge program, which, as of publication, lasts until December 31, 2027. Through this program, the copay for the Wegovy pill for eligible patients is $50 per month and does not count toward the Part D deductible.

When prescribed to lower cardiovascular risk in adults with heart disease and obesity or overweight, Medicare may cover the Wegovy pill under current regulations.

The Wegovy pill and injection have the same list price of $1,349.02. But the pill is less expensive than the injection when it comes to self-pay.

Without insurance, the Wegovy pill and injection can cost the following cash prices*: 

• Wegovy pill: $149–$299 per month, depending on the dose

• Wegovy injection: $199–$399, depending on the dose 

With insurance and the Wegovy Savings Offer, both the Wegovy pill and the injection can cost as little as $25 per month. To be eligible for the manufacturer discount, you must have commercial insurance with coverage of Wegovy. Unfortunately, those who have coverage through state or federal programs (e.g. Medicare, VA) don’t qualify.

Beyond the official Savings Offer, there are additional ways to save on the Wegovy injection. Free, pharmacy-specific Wegovy coupons are available through websites such as SingleCare, BuzzRx, GoodRx, and Optum Perks. However, these coupons can only be used when paying cash for your prescription.

*Terms and restrictions may apply for certain cash-pay prices on Ro

The Wegovy pill can cost less than other oral GLP-1s, depending on the dosage and your insurance coverage. 

Here’s a breakdown of the costs of oral GLP-1s without insurance: 

*Terms and restrictions may apply for certain cash-pay prices on Ro

Rybelsus (now also known as the Ozempic pill) is another oral version of semaglutide, but it’s FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes. However, it can be prescribed off-label for weight loss. (Even though it generally produces less weight loss than the Wegovy pill and weight loss injections.) 

• Without insurance, Rybelsus (Ozempic pill) can cost $1,027.51 or more per month. 

• With insurance, Rybelsus (Ozempic pill) can cost as little as $25 per month if you qualify for the manufacturer’s Diabetes Savings Offer. 

• Rybelsus (Ozempic pill) is also available via self-pay for $149–$299 per month, depending on the dose, through NovoCare.

Foundayo (orforglipron) is an oral GLP-1 that is FDA-approved for weight loss, along with lifestyle changes, similar to the Wegovy pill.

• Without insurance, Foundayo can cost $149–$649 or more per month. 

• Foundayo is also available via self-pay for cash prices of $149–$299 per month*, depending on the dose, on Ro (if prescribed).

• With insurance, Foundayo can cost as little as $25 per month if you qualify for the Foundayo Savings Card. 

Without insurance, the Wegovy pill can cost significantly less than other GLP-1s, particularly when paying in cash. With insurance, oral Wegovy can cost more, less, or the same, depending on your coverage and eligibility for any savings offers.

Here’s a quick comparison of the cost of the Wegovy pill to the costs of other GLP-1s without insurance: 

*Terms and restrictions may apply for certain cash-pay prices on Ro

Currently, three injectable GLP-1s are approved for weight loss: Wegovy, Zepbound (tirzepatide), and Saxenda (liraglutide). These are their costs without insurance: 

• Wegovy has a list price of $1,349.02 and a cash price of $199–$399 per month*, depending on dose, on Ro (if prescribed).  

• Zepbound has a list price of $1,086.37, and its KwikPens have a cash price of $299–$449 per month*, depending on dose, on Ro (if prescribed). 

• Saxenda has a list price of $1,349.02.  It’s also available as a generic, liraglutide, which has a retail price of $756.95 for one carton. You may pay less by using a pharmacy discount card (like GoodRx) or savings offers from generic manufacturers.

Other injectable GLP-1s may also be prescribed off-label for weight loss, even though they are FDA-approved for conditions such as type 2 diabetes. These include Ozempic (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide), which have the following costs without insurance: 

• Ozempic has a list price of $1,027.51 and a cash price of $199–$499 per month, depending on dose, using the manufacturer’s Diabetes Savings Program.

• Mounjaro has a list price of $1,112.16 and a cash price as low as $499 per month for the single-dose pen, if eligible for manufacturer offer. 

Keep in mind that manufacturer savings offers can change or end at any time, and benefit limits may apply.

See if you qualify

As the first oral GLP-1 approved for weight loss, the Wegovy pill offers a needle-free alternative that is often more affordable than injectable options. 

• Without insurance, the Wegovy pill can cost $149–$299 per month*, depending on dose, if you pay cash on Ro (if prescribed). It also has a list price of $1,349.02.  

• Patients with commercial drug coverage for Wegovy can reduce their monthly cost to $25 with the manufacturer’s Wegovy Savings Offer.

• For eligible Part D beneficiaries, the Medicare copay for the Wegovy pill is $50 when prescribed for weight loss. It may also be covered if prescribed for cardiovascular risk reduction.

• While they have the same list price ($1,349.02), the Wegovy pill costs less than injectable Wegovy when paying with cash. The injection has a cash price of $199–$399 per month, depending on dose, on Ro (if eligible). 

• Thanks to its low self-pay prices, the Wegovy pill also tends to cost less than many other GLP-1s, including Zepbound and Saxenda.

*Terms and restrictions may apply for certain cash-pay prices on Ro