Wegovy (semaglutide) is a once-weekly injectable medication used by millions off people in the United States. It is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for chronic weight management in patients with obesity or overweight, and it has proven to be an effective weight loss aid: clinical trial participants who took Wegovy lost about 15% of their body weight (an average of 35 pounds) over 15 months.
But while it's highly effective, Wegovy also has a significant price tag. It can cost $1,349.02 per month, depending on insurance coverage. This makes it a costly option for many.
How much does Wegovy cost without insurance?
Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer who makes Wegovy, lists the price of Wegovy at $1,349.02 for a 28-day supply, or about $17,585 a year, without insurance. In March of 2025, however, the drug's manufacturer Novo Nordisk announced a more affordable option: uninsured patients (or those who have insurance that doesn't cover Wegovy) can access all dose strengths of Wegovy at a reduced cash price of $499 per month via a direct-to-consumer online pharmacy.
The $499 Wegovy option is only available to self-pay patients, meaning that insurance companies do not offer coverage for this option. However, because most self-pay patients are either uninsured or have a health plan that does not cover obesity medications like Wegovy, the $499/mo. option is far more affordable than Wegovy's standard $1,349/mo. list price.
Keep in mind that the medication's cost is in addition to the cost of your doctor visits. You will need to speak to a healthcare provider before you get Wegovy. The cost of seeing a provider raises the overall cost of treatment. Initial telehealth visits cost anywhere from $49 to $129. Ongoing care may cost between $99 and $149 per month. In-person visits are often even more expensive.
The price of weight loss care varies depending on where you live, your insurance coverage, and the provider. However, you should factor in the cost of care with the price of medication to have a more complete picture of what your treatment will cost.
Does insurance cover Wegovy?
It depends on the plan. Some patients may be able to get their Wegovy prescription fully paid for through their health insurance plans. Other plans might require you with copays or deductibles, while others may not cover GLP-1 medications like Wegovy at all.
Federal health insurance plans, like Medicare, generally do not offer coverage for GLP-1 medications. As of January 2025, Medicaid does offer coverage for Wegovy in at least 14 states:
- California
- Delaware
- Kansas
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- New Hampshire
- North Carolina
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
Talk to your insurance company before purchasing Wegovy to discuss how much of your prescription will be covered by your plan. You may be able to appeal to your insurance provider that Wegovy is medically necessary for your health, making it more likely to get some sort of coverage.
You should also review your insurance plan’s benefits. Benefits may provide coverage for non-essential appointments, prescription medications, and more. Get to know your insurance benefits to ensure you are getting the most out of your plan.
How to save money on Wegovy
If the list price of Wegovy has you freaked out, don’t worry: there are several ways you can save money on a Wegovy prescription.
1) Get a prescription from a telehealth service.
Telehealth services are often far more affordable than in-person care. These online visits can make the out-of-pocket price of Wegovy less of a barrier, and you can use these appointments to discuss ways to make the price of Wegovy more affordable.
For example, Sesame’s online weight loss program costs less than seeing a provider in person, and offers access to NovoNordisk's $499 direct-to-consumer Wegovy option for patients who are clinically eligible. And if you do have insurance, your provider can assist with any required insurance prior autorization paperwork to help reduce the cost of your medication.
2) Use NovoCare’s assistance program.
NovoCare (Novo Nordisk’s information and resource hub) offers an online savings program (sort of like a Wegovy savings card) to help lower the cost of a Wegovy prescription.
Program eligibility is based on your insurance status. Patients with commercial insurance and patients paying for Wegovy out-of-pocket may be eligible for the savings offer.
If you have insurance coverage for Wegovy, you can save up to $225 on every 28-day supply. If you don't have insurance coverage, you can also access Wegovy for $499 per month with Novo Nordisk's direct-to-consumer pharmacy option.
Apply for savings and learn more about eligibility and restrictions.
3) Look for prescription discount programs
Sites like Optum Perks and SingleCare offer savings programs that you can redeem to lower the cost of prescription drugs. They call these programs “Wegovy coupons”, but they are more like savings cards that require membership to use.
What’s the difference between Wegovy and Ozempic?
Wegovy and Ozempic are both GLP-1 drugs made by Novo Nordisk. They both contain the active ingredient semaglutide. Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist that helps control blood sugar. It also reduces your appetite and slows stomach emptying which can make you feel fuller longer.
However, these medications vary in terms of cost and what they are approved for.
Wegovy costs $1,349.02 per month without insurance coverage, or $499 per month through NovoNordisk's direct-to-consumer program. Ozempic costs about $935.77 per month, and there is not currently a direct-to-consumer program available for the medication.
Additionally, Wegovy is FDA-approved for weight loss, meaning it is specifically intended to help patients with overweight or obesity lose weight. Ozempic is FDA-approved to treat type 2 diabetes. Its use as a weight loss aid is off-label, meaning weight loss is a side effect of the medication that healthcare providers may use to the patient’s benefit. Clinical trials show that Wegovy is more effective than Ozempic at helping patients lose weight.
Who can get a Wegovy prescription?
Wegovy is FDA-approved for weight management in adults with obesity (a body mass index— BMI—of 30 kg/m2 or greater) or overweight adults (a BMI of 27 kg/m2 or greater) who also have weight-related health conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, or obstructive sleep apnea.
Wegovy is prescribed along with healthy lifestyle changes like a reduced-calorie diet and regular exercise. When you get a Wegovy prescription, your healthcare provider will offer medical advice about how to adjust your diet and start working out. Wegovy is most effective when taken with these healthy habits.
Are there cheaper alternatives to Wegovy?
Consider asking your healthcare provider about other GLP-1 drugs. Depending on where you live and your insurance coverage, these drugs may cost less than Wegovy.
Different drugs also cause different side effects, so it’s helpful to discuss all options with your provider before deciding on a treatment plan.
GLP-1 alternatives to Wegovy include:
- Zepbound vials (tirzepatide), priced at $349/mo or more depending on your dose. This option is only available to self-pay patients and contains the same ingredient as Zepbound pens, but comes in the form of a vial (the medication is extracted with a syringe and injected) instead of an auto-injector pen.
- Zepbound pens (tirzepatide), priced at $1,086/mo without insurance.
- Victoza (liraglutide), priced at $544/mo without insurance.
- Trulicity (dulaglutide), priced at $987/mo without insurance.
- Mounjaro (tirzepatide), priced at $1,079/mo without insurance.
- Saxenda (liraglutide), priced at $1,349/mo without insurance.
You can also ask your provider about Rybelsus. Rybelsus is a daily pill that also contains semaglutide. This is often a good option for people who are uncomfortable or cannot use injectable medication.
How Sesame can help
Sesame offers an affordable and comprehensive online weight loss program, Success by Sesame, to help you get started on your weight loss journey. Patients without insurance, or without Wegovy coverage through their insurance plan, have access to self-pay medication options like Wegovy ($499/mo.), Zepbound vials (starting at $349/mo.) and more through this program if eligible.
In addition to affordable medication options for those with or without insurance, Success by Sesame also includes video visits with a Sesame weight loss doctor or specialist of your choice, labs, unlimited messaging with your provider, ongoing support and more. Note that all prescriptions are at the discretion of your healthcare provider.
