How much does Wegovy cost without insurance?

Wegovy (semaglutide) is a once-weekly GLP-1 prescription medication that is approved by the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or overweight with at least one weight-related condition.

With a list price of $1,349.02 per month, the cost of Wegovy can be prohibitive for many people, especially those without insurance coverage for weight loss drugs.

Learn more about Wegovy cost with and without insurance and ways to save on the medication.

How much is Wegovy without insurance?

Wegovy is an FDA-approved weight loss medication that is sold as a pre-filled single-dose pen.

The cost of Wegovy without insurance is about $1,349.02 for a 28-day supply (4 pens), according to Novo Nordisk’s list price.

Most people don’t pay the list price. The estimated retail price for Wegovy is in the range of $1,200-$1,400 per month. The price you pay depends on several factors including which pharmacy you purchase from, your insurance coverage, and whether you are eligible for discounts through the manufacturer savings card program.

Without health insurance, it’s possible to lower your out-of-pocket costs on Wegovy by using prescription discount cards or a compounded version of the medication. If you have commercial insurance, you may be eligible for additional savings by participating in the Wegovy Savings Card program offered by the manufacturer, Novo Nordisk.

Does insurance cover Wegovy?

It depends and coverage varies by insurance plan. Most insurance plans don’t cover prescription weight loss drugs.

Medicare plans will cover Wegovy if prescribed to reduce the risk of heart attacks and stroke in people with cardiovascular disease who are obese or overweight since the FDA approved this new indication for Wegovy.

Does Medicare and Medicaid cover Wegovy?

Medicare

Medicare excludes the coverage of weight loss medications so if you were prescribed Wegovy for the treatment of obesity without a pre-existing cardiovascular condition, you are likely not able to receive coverage through Medicare. However, if you were prescribed Wegovy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack and stroke in adults with cardiovascular disease and you are either overweight or obese, Medicare will cover Wegovy.

Medicaid

At the time of writing this article, Medicaid covers weight loss drugs in 16 states, including:

• California
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Hawaii
• Kansas
• Louisiana
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• New Hampshire
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Texas
• Virginia
• Wisconsin

Check your health insurance plan’s formulary or contact the Medicaid agency in your state to determine if Wegovy is covered for your prescribed indication. If covered, your plan may likely require prior authorization.

How much does Wegovy cost with insurance?

The cost of Wegovy with insurance depends on your health insurance plan provider. If your insurance plan covers Wegovy, you can contact your insurance provider to find out about their coverage details including the associated copays and deductibles under your plan. Your out-of-pocket costs can potentially be reduced if you are eligible for the manufacturer’s savings program.

Ozempic vs. Wegovy cost

Ozempic and Wegovy contain the same active ingredient and both medications are manufactured by the same company, Novo Nordisk.

Ozempic is FDA-approved for improving blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes in combination with diet and exercise. Wegovy is FDA-approved for chronic weight management in people with obesity (BMI (body mass index) of 30 or greater) or overweight (BMI (body mass index) of 27 or greater) and at least one weight-related medical condition. Both medications are also approved to reduce the risk of serious heart problems (e.g. heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure) in adults with obesity or overweight.

Both medications are GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonists and the main differences are their FDA-approved indications, age restrictions, dosage strengths, and type of pen that’s used to inject.

As previously mentioned in this article, the manufacturer’s list price of Wegovy is $1,349.02 for a 28-day supply (4 pens).

In comparison, the manufacturer’s list price for Ozempic is slightly lower at $968.52 for a 28-day supply (4 pens). However, the highest strength dose of Ozempic is 2mg, while the highest strength dose of Wegovy is 2.4mg. As the starting doses of both medications are the same, some healthcare providers may choose to start you on the lower doses of Ozempic, slowly titrate the doses as your body gets used to the medication, and potentially switch you to Wegovy at a later time if the higher dose is necessary.

The FDA approved Wegovy for weight loss, but not Ozempic. Ozempic is commonly prescribed off-label for weight loss. Clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of semaglutide have shown that people taking Wegovy lost an average of 15% of their body weight at 68 weeks.

Wegovy is packaged in a single box with 4 single-dose injectable pens, and Ozempic is packaged in a single box with 1 multi-dose pen that delivers multiple doses.

Wegovy and Ozempic are typically covered by insurance if prescribed for type 2 diabetes or if the patient has a cardiovascular-related health condition. Also, the manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, has a patient assistance program (PAP) that provides free Ozempic to eligible patients who are legal US residents with a household income at or below the 400% poverty level, with no private or government health insurance. For people with diabetes who are commercially insured without any form of government insurance (e.g. Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, VA, state-sponsored or federally-sponsored health insurance) and meet eligibility requirements, Novo Nordisk also provides an Ozempic Savings Card which can reduce the cost of Ozempic to as low $25 for a 1, 2, or 3-month prescription, with maximum savings of $150 for a 1-month prescription, $300 for a 2-month prescription, and $450 for a 3-month prescription).

Is there a generic semaglutide available?

No, there is currently no generic alternative available for semaglutide. Novo Nordisk has patent protection for semaglutide until at least 2031. However, Novo Nordisk recently settled litigation with generic manufacturers, Mylan and Viatris subsidiary Natco Pharma, which may lead the way for an earlier introduction of generic semaglutide in the U.S.

Why are Ozempic and Wegovy so expensive?

In the absence of generic drug competition for semaglutide, Novo Nordisk is the only company authorized to market semaglutide products in the U.S. Therefore, prices will remain high until the patent expires and generic companies are authorized to sell generic versions of semaglutide. The patent is expected to arrive in 2031, although it may expire earlier.

A study conducted by RAND found that prices of brand-name medications in the U.S. are 4.22 times higher than other countries on average.

How to save on Wegovy without insurance

There are several ways to save on the cost of Wegovy, whether or not you have insurance coverage for the medication.

Wegovy Savings Card

For individuals with private or commercial insurance with prescription drug coverage who meet certain eligibility requirements, you can pay as little as $0 for a 28-day supply of Wegovy. For those whose insurance plan does not have coverage for Wegovy, you would pay $650 for a 28-day supply with the Wegovy Savings Offer, which is a copay assistance card provided by the manufacturer, Novo Nordisk.

The program excludes people who are enrolled in any form of government-sponsored insurance such as Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, VA, or any state-sponsored or federally-sponsored health insurance.

Compounded semaglutide

You can save money on your medication by purchasing compounded semaglutide, which contains the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy and is sold at a lower cost.

The NiceRx Weight Loss program offers compounded semaglutide to eligible patients who meet certain requirements.

Wegovy coupons and prescription discount cards

Prescription drug discount companies GoodRx and SingleCare offer prescription discount cards to people who are paying fully out-of-pocket for their Wegovy medications. You can save money by using their discount cards are your local pharmacies.

Wegovy alternatives for weight loss

If you are unable to obtain insurance coverage for Wegovy, or unable to purchase the medication due to the Wegovy shortage, there are several Wegovy alternatives that you can discuss with your healthcare provider to determine if any of them are appropriate for you. You can also speak with your insurance company or check their drug formulary to find out if any of these weight loss medications are covered under your insurance plan.

• Ozempic (semaglutide) – off label
• Mounjaro (tirzepatide) – off label
• Zepbound (tirzepatide)
• Saxenda (liraglutide)
• Xenical or Alli (orlistat)
• Qsymia (phentermine/topiramate)
• Contrave (naltrexone/bupropion)
• Compounded semaglutide
• Compounded tirzepatide

Bottom line

With a price of about $1,350 per month, Wegovy is an expensive weight loss drug without insurance or discounts. With insurance coverage, the price can be lower, especially if you meet eligible requirements for the Wegovy Savings Card. If not, you can lower the cost of your medication by purchasing compounded semaglutide, considering an alternative weight loss medication that may be covered by your insurance, or using prescription drug discount cards at your local pharmacy.