How much does Zepbound cost with and without insurance?

If you’re among the 70% of Americans who have excess weight or are living with obesity, you’ve likely heard a lot about Zepbound® in the last six months. And you might be wondering: If it’s right for me, how much is that gonna cost? 

In this post, we’re digging into the details to help you learn what to budget for and how to save on the cost of Zepbound.

Three key takeaways: 

• With a list price of roughly $1,060 a month and retail prices that can be even higher, those Zepbound injector pens are expensive. But insurance coverage and discounts can help reduce your costs. 
• If your health insurance covers Zepbound, using the manufacturer’s Zepbound Savings Card can bring costs down to as little as $25 for a one-month or three-month supply. If your insurance doesn’t cover Zepbound, the savings card can help cut out-of-pocket costs to as low as $550 per month for up to a year. And if you are on a lower dose without insurance or a coupon, Lilly’s new vial version may offer additional savings.
• Found clinicians can help you determine if Zepbound is right for you and explore less-costly alternatives for your weight-care journey.

Remind me, why is Zepbound such a big deal? 

Zepbound (tirzepatide) is the newest injectable weight-loss medication and the first “dual agonist” or GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist drug that’s FDA-approved for weight loss.

The FDA approved Zepbound in November 2023 as a treatment to assist chronic weight management in people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30+ or those with BMIs of 27+ who have at least one weight-related health condition (such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or type 2 diabetes). 

Manufactured by Eli Lilly & Co., Zepbound is a once-weekly injection that starts with an initial dose of 2.5 mg, building to a maximum dose of 15 mg (if clinically needed). Zepbound’s active ingredient, tirzepatide, mimics two naturally occurring gut hormones—glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP)—to help reduce appetite, slow digestion, and tamp down hunger. 

While Zepbound can cause mild and serious side effects and isn’t safe for everyone, it has been popular from the jump—in large part because clinical studies have found it highly effective for weight loss.

Zepbound’s clinical results outpace clinical weight loss rates for earlier “single agonist” GLP-1 weight loss medications like Wegovy® and Saxenda®.

In clinical trials, adults with obesity or excess weight (with or without diabetes) who took Zepbound as part of a weight care program experienced statistically significant weight loss compared to those taking placebo. In the latest findings, participants without diabetes who were on the highest doses (10 mg or 15 mg) for 36 weeks lost an average of 20.9% of their body weight. 

How does the cost of Zepbound compare to prices for other weight-loss drugs?

The retail price may be higher at a given pharmacy, but the list price for Zepbound set by the manufacturer is about $1,060 for a month’s supply (four injector pens of any dosage). That’s roughly $290 less than the list price for a month of Wegovy (semaglutide) or Saxenda (liraglutide), two other brand-name injectable GLP-1 prescription drugs approved for weight loss. (On June 24, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced the launch of an authorized generic liraglutide, which may reduce the cost of the drug.) 

Zepbound is priced about the same as Mounjaro®, which contains the same active ingredient as Zepbound (tirzepatide) and about $100 more than Ozempic® (semaglutide). Both Mounjaro and Ozempic are FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes but are prescribed off-label for weight loss or obesity care.

Finally, Zepbound is considerably more expensive than older non-GLP-1 weight-loss medications and diabetes drugs prescribed off-label for weight loss. The diabetes drug metformin, for example, typically ranges from $10 to $30 a month, depending on dosage.

What are some ways to lower the price of Zepbound? 

1. See if your health insurance covers it.

Eli Lilly has a cost navigator that you can use to check insurance coverage quickly. However, since Zepbound is relatively new, and your insurance company plan documents may be outdated, you’ll need to call your insurer to determine your coverage. Some plans exclude prescription drugs for weight loss. Other insurers may cover Zepbound but only with prior authorization. If it’s covered, you may still have to pay out-of-pocket until you meet your yearly deductible and co-payments.

2. Use the Zepbound savings card or coupon.

Even if Zepbound is not covered under your insurance, if you have commercial insurance and a valid prescription, Eli Lilly’s Zepbound Savings Card may cut your cost to as low as $550 a month for up to a year. 

If you have Zepbound insurance coverage, the card can save you even more, pushing costs as low as $25 for a one-month or three-month supply for up to a year. 

See if you qualify and check the limitations here. One key exclusion: You can’t use the card if you have state, federal, or government-funded health care, including Medicare or Medicaid. 

3. Consider the new single-dose Zepbound vials.

At the end of August 2024, Lilly introduced single-dose Zepbound vials at a lower list price than its Zepbound injector pens. A four-week supply of the 2.5 mg single-dose Zepbound vials is $399. A four-week supply of 5 mg single-dose vials is $549, which is about what you pay now for the injector pens of this dose if you use the Zepbound savings card.

These come with a few caveats: 

• The vials are available only in two doses: 2.5 mg and 5 mg. 
• There is no injector pen; you use a syringe with a needle to draw the medication out of the vial and then inject yourself.
• The price is valid only if you pay directly, without insurance or other discounts, and buy through LillyDirect, Eli Lilly’s new self-pay pharmacy.‍

4. Try a drug discount coupon. 

Drug discount programs like GoodRx, Drugs.com, and SingleCare may offer coupons or coupon codes that can help trim retail prices or at least bring them closer to the manufacturer’s list price if you don’t have insurance or don’t qualify for the manufacturer’s savings card.

5. Shop around.

Prices vary among pharmacies. And some offer reduced prices for purchases made in cash without insurance or other discounts. Ask your pharmacist for their best cash price. And don’t be afraid to check chat rooms focused on obesity care or Zepbound cost, such as those on Reddit, for recent price wins from pharmacies in your area.

6. Explore safe and effective alternatives. 

Zepbound isn’t right for every budget—or everybody. 

GLP-1 and GLP-1/GIP medications do have some known potential side effects. The most common are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. More serious but less common side effects include pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, and worsening of diabetic eye disease. Those with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasias should not use them. Find detailed side effects and risk information for specific medications by name on our dedicated medication page.

If you can’t take—or afford—Zepbound, that doesn’t mean you can’t get weight care. Ask your Found clinician or other trusted health care provider about alternatives that may be a better fit for you—and your insurance coverage. Found’s clinical team designs a treatment plan personalized to your needs and unique biology 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.

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GLP-1 and tirzepatide prescriptions filled through your local pharmacy are available as part of Found's weight-loss toolkit. While these medications can be effective for weight loss, like all medicines, they are not clinically appropriate for everyone. Eligibility for these drugs is based on a thorough evaluation of your medical history and lab work. If GLP-1s or tirzepatide are not appropriate for you, our providers will work with you to determine an effective medication for your health profile.