How much does Ozempic cost?

By now, you probably know someone who has taken Ozempic®. 

According to a 2024 Gallup poll, about 1 in 16 adults in America have tried Ozempic or other injectable GLP-1 medications in pursuit of weight loss.

But how much does Ozempic cost? And do you have to be a celebrity to afford it?

Read on to learn key factors that affect your out-of-pocket cost for Ozempic, what Congress is doing about Ozempic list prices, and how to find discounts and more affordable alternatives.

Remind me: What exactly is Ozempic? 

Ozempic is a prescription drug manufactured by Novo Nordisk and FDA-approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. (Ozempic may also be prescribed by your provider off-label for weight loss.) It’s part of a class of medications known as glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists or GLP-1s. 

Long-running clinical trials of its active ingredient (semaglutide) have shown it can help people with diabetes regulate blood sugar, feel fuller with smaller portions, decrease appetite, and aid in weight loss. And its popularity has soared tremendously in the last two years.

Worth noting: GLP-1s like Ozempic may cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and constipation. More serious but less common side effects include pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, kidney problems, and vision changes. 

Those with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 shouldn’t use these drugs. Find detailed side effects and risk information on our dedicated medication page.

Tell your health care provider if you have severe stomach problems that won’t go away, including abdominal bloating or pain, acid reflux, a feeling of fullness after eating just a few bites of food, nausea, and vomiting, including vomiting undigested food eaten a few hours earlier. These may be symptoms of gastroparesis (stomach paralysis). 

How much does Ozempic cost without insurance?

That depends. According to drugmaker Novo Nordisk, the drug’s list price is $997.58 for a 28-day supply, regardless of dosage. (List prices are subject to change.)

And the price your local pharmacy charges may differ from the list price. A 2024 check of pharmacies in one Iowa city found retail Ozempic prices ranging from $1,124 to $1,196 for a one-month supply.

How much you’ll ultimately pay hinges on several factors: whether you have health insurance, whether your insurance coverage includes Ozempic for your condition, and what the co-payment and deductible are for the drug on your insurance plan. 

If your plan covers Ozempic and has no drug deductible and a minimal co-pay, you could pay as little as $25 for a three-month supply. If your co-pay is higher, you may be able to lower it with other discounts or by as much as $150 a month with an Ozempic Savings Card.

Is Ozempic covered by insurance?

While some health care insurers cover Ozempic for type 2 diabetes, not all cover it for obesity treatment or weight loss. Check your policy for weight-loss exclusions and your plan’s approved drug list (also called a formulary) for your Ozempic dosage. Ozempic’s website also has a self-guided tool to help you see if your insurer covers it.

Do Medicare or Medicaid cover Ozempic?

Federally funded Medicare drug coverage generally excludes weight-loss treatment. As of January 2025, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid announced. Still, it  may cover GLP-1s that are FDA-approved to treat type 2 diabetes in those with the disease and—more recently—GLP-1s that are FDA-approved to treat heart disease in people with obesity. Laws governing Medicaid vary by state.

Did Congress investigate the cost of Ozempic?

It did. Since then, in January 2025, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it would work to negotiate lower prices for Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus® for people on Medicare. Any negotiated prices will go into effect in 2027. 

In 2024, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, pushed drugmaker Novo Nordisk to lower the list price of Ozempic and Wegovy®. His call came following a study by Yale researchers, which reported that a month’s supply of GLP-1s could be made for $5 or less. A review of Ozempic prices last year found the drug is 5 to 10 times more expensive in the United States than in most other countries. The list price was $83 a month in France and less than $230 in Canada, for example, compared to $936 in America. Sanders pressed the drugmaker to align its U.S. Ozempic price with Canadian prices to ensure more Americans have access to the drug without bankrupting government-funded health care plans. 

Why does Ozempic cost so much?

Drugmakers determine list prices. The number they settle on may reflect years of research, deep investment in developing the drug, and the cost of manufacturing, marketing, and distributing it. Prices tend to be high when a drug is first under patent—unless there is a competing treatment or low demand—and until the patent is successfully challenged or the patent expires and generic versions enter the market. Novo Nordisk is the only maker of Ozempic, holding the patent through December 2031.

Three ways to lower the cost of Ozempic:

• Look for coupon codes to use at your local pharmacy, with or without insurance. 
• Apply for the Ozempic Savings Card, which can cut your Ozempic co-pay by as much as $150 a month (down to as little as $25 for a three-month supply) for up to 2 years. Also known as the Ozempic coupon, it’s available only if you have commercial or private insurance that covers Ozempic for your condition.
• See if you qualify for the Novo Nordisk Patient Assistance Program. It provides free diabetes medication to those without insurance or who are on Medicare and meet income and other eligibility requirements.

Are there cheaper alternatives to Ozempic?

Some providers have begun prescribing less expensive compounded semaglutide—which the FDA may allow when a patient can not be treated with an FDA-approved medication or when a brand-name drug is on the FDA’s drug shortages list. However, compounded drugs aren’t FDA-approved for safety, effectiveness, or quality. And there is no FDA-approved generic for Ozempic.

If you’re seeking care for weight loss or weight management, other treatments exist—including other GLP-1s and non-GLP-1 prescription medications—that may be more affordable for you. Whether or not you have insurance, Found’s clinical team can design a treatment plan personalized to your unique biology and needs to help you lose weight safely and sustainably.

About Found

Found is among the largest medically-supported telehealth weight care clinics in the country, having served more than 250,000 members to date. To discover your MetabolicPrint™ and start your journey with Found, take our quiz.

Found is not affiliated with Novo Nordisk A/S., the owner of the registered trademarks Wegovy®, Ozempic®, Rybelsus®,  and Saxenda®. The content provided is for informational purposes only and should not be used as a basis for determining actual costs incurred or diagnosing or treating any health condition. Always follow your healthcare provider’s instructions to ensure safe and effective management of your health conditions. Certain medications are only FDA approved to treat conditions other than weight but may be prescribed to help aid in weight loss. Compounded semaglutide is not FDA- approved or evaluated for safety or efficacy. Semaglutide has serious contraindications and risks. For risk and side effect info, visit website for risk information.