Weight loss medication costs
Just like when you start planning a much-deserved vacation at your dream destination, your first question about weight loss medications might be: How much is this gonna set me back? Luckily for you, we’ve done the homework.
The cost of weight loss medications (including pills and weight loss injection costs) ranges from around $69 to $2,000 per month, depending on the specific medication and how you access it. You may be eligible for insurance coverage or manufacturer savings programs (directly from pharmaceutical companies like Novo Nordisk or Eli Lilly), which can significantly reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Below, we’ll break down the typical price range for each weight loss medication and highlight some affordable options you may want to explore.
This article was reviewed by Craig Primack, MD, FACP, FAAP, FOMA.
Image Credit: Jacob Wackerhausen/istockphoto.
Are Weight Loss Medications Covered by Insurance?
Insurance coverage for weight loss medications can vary, and it’s always worth checking with your insurance provider to find out what’s available to you.
For instance, some healthcare plans offer support if you meet specific criteria.
This could include having a body mass index (BMI) above a certain number and/or having a weight-related health condition, like:
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Sleep apnea
- Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes, you may be able to get diabetes medications like Wegovy® and Ozempic® (brand names for semaglutide) or Mounjaro® (which contains the active ingredient tirzepatide) covered by insurance. Coverage is less common when they’re prescribed off-label for weight loss, but it’s still worth checking with your provider.
We dive into some possible reasons weight loss medications aren’t covered by insurance here, if you’re interested in learning more about that.
Image Credit: Olivier Le Moal / iStock.
Do Medicaid and Medicare Cover Weight Loss Medications?
Medicare doesn’t usually cover weight loss medications, but there are some exceptions depending on the plan, state, and medication prescribed.
Medicaid coverage can vary widely. Some state Medicaid programs now cover GLP-1 receptor agonist medications like Wegovy® and Zepbound®. For example, Medi-Cal currently covers Zepbound in California, and in certain states, eligible patients may be able to get Wegovy® for $3 or less.
To find out if you’re eligible, visit Wegovy.com or check your state’s Medicaid website for up-to-date coverage details.
Hers
Weight Loss Injection Cost Without Insurance
The cost of weight loss injections without insurance depends on which medication you’re prescribed and where you purchase it from. But you can generally expect to pay around $1,000 to $2,000 a month when you purchase brand-name GLP-1s through a typical pharmacy without insurance or savings cards.
Weight loss injection costs vary by location. But to give you a more specific idea, here’s a breakdown of the list price given by each drug’s manufacturer and the ballpark price you can expect to find at retail pharmacies.
*Compounded drug products are not approved or evaluated for safety, effectiveness, or quality by the FDA. Prescription required.
**Actual price depends on product and plan purchased.
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
HSA and FSA Savings
You don’t need healthcare insurance for weight loss treatment through Hers. That said, if you have a health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA), it might help lower the cost.
Through the Hers platform, you can message a licensed healthcare provider at any time if you’d like to discuss changes to your treatment plan, including:
- Adjusting your dose
- Switching to a different medication
- Requesting prescription anti-nausea medication, if medically appropriate
*Actual price depends on product and plan purchased.
Image Credit: Carolina Rudah / iStock.
What’s Included in the Cost of Weight Loss Treatment Through Hers?
The initial assessment is free, and there are no additional costs for the Hers app, check-ins, prescription changes, shipping, or ongoing access to medical providers.
The Hers app features:
- Dynamic protocols to help improve nutrition, movement, and sleep-based habits for sustained weight management
- Sleep and mindset techniques developed by psychologists to help improve sleep quality
- Daily protein recommendations to help maintain muscle mass while taking medication and losing weight
- Daily activity goals to achieve regular movement while taking medication
- 100+ healthy recipes and meal plans developed with nutritionists
- Healthy eating tips tailored to your unique eating pattern (like emotional eating or automatic eating)
Image Credit: Samara Heisz/istockphoto.
The Cost of Weight Loss Medications With Insurance
With insurance coverage, your weight loss drug costs could be zero — or you could have some out-of-pocket costs. It depends on your insurance plan and whether you have any copays or deductibles.
You may also be eligible for manufacturer savings programs or rebates that can help cut down weight loss injection costs.
For example, Novo Nordisk — the manufacturer behind Ozempic, Wegovy®, and Rybelsus — offers savings cards for each of its medications. Offers vary depending on the medication you’re prescribed.
If eligible, you could:
- Save up to $100 per one-month supply of Ozempic and pay as little as $25 for each prescription
- Save up to $225 a month on Wegovy® and pay as little as $0 per prescription
- Save up to $300 per one-month supply of Rybelsus and pay as little as $10 a month
But again, weight loss injection costs vary by person, plan, state, and medication.
Image Credit: Carolina Rudah/istockphoto.
Weight Loss Injection Cost: The Grand Total
If you have overweight, obesity, or a weight-related condition, weight loss medications can help you take charge of your health and improve your quality of life.
How much is weight loss medication? Here are the main takeaways to keep in mind about weight loss injection costs and the price of oral meds:
- Weight loss medications can be expensive, but there are affordable options. Look for deals on brand-name GLP-1s and explore compounded GLP-1 options.
- As for effectiveness, people lost an average of 15 percent of their initial body weight in a 68-week clinical trial study of Wegovy®.
- Oral weight loss medications might also be an affordable option.
- They’re not always covered by insurance, but it’s worth checking your plan. In many cases, you may need to pay out of pocket for weight loss medications.
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This article originally appeared on ForHers.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
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