
Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a new brand-name medication the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved in May 2022. Because it’s so new, it’s expensive, and insurance companies don’t always cover the total cost of the drug when prescribed for type 2 diabetes.
The tirzepatide injection is a once-weekly GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonist indicated to treat type 2 diabetes. Its popularity has sky-rocketed because of its ability to support weight loss in adults with overweight and obesity. In one groundbreaking 72-week clinical trial published in The New England Journal of Medicine in 2022, patients lost up to 22.5 percent of their body weight versus only 3 percent in the placebo group.
Even more promising, the manufacturer, Eli Lilly, announced they’re a couple of Phase 3 trials away from getting the medication FDA-approved for weight management for those with overweight and obesity.
On top of that, the drug is currently being prescribed off-label for treating overweight and obesity. So, whether prescribed to you off-label or for type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, Mounjaro’s cost can break the bank.
Don’t worry just yet. A few Mounjaro coupons and discount options are available. Let’s talk about Mounjaro’s cost, coupons, and other options to help save you money.
How much does Mounjaro cost?
How much is Mounjaro without insurance? Lilly is notably transparent about the list price of Mounjaro. Without insurance coverage, Mounjaro is $1,023.04 per fill. One fill equals a month’s supply or four pre-filled pens, so about a 28-day supply.
The manufacturer also says that specific insurance plan pricing data isn’t yet available. Because the drug is so new, they can’t estimate the out-of-pocket expense for tirzepatide. However, once the data is available later in 2023, Lilly plans to share the average out-of-pocket cost for patients.
Is there a Mounjaro coupon?
Because Eli Lilly is aware of the Mounjaro cost, the company created a patient access program called the Mounjaro Savings Card.
This Mounjaro discount card is straightforward to get online—we completed the three easy steps on the Mounjaro site to get the card—however, there are terms and conditions for eligibility. Mounjaro coverage varies by insurance plan, but the primary rule for the savings card is you must have commercial insurance, whether it covers the cost of Mounjaro or not.
But if your commercial insurance covers Mounjaro, your copay could be as little as $25 for up to 12 pens with Mounjaro’s coupon. Keep in mind that the current Mounjarosavings program expires at the end of 2023 for the patients in this bucket.
Conversely, the fine print reads that if your commercial insurance doesn’t cover Mounjaro, you can get up to $500 off each fill for up to seven fills. This offer expires before the other and must be used by the end of June 2023.
Are there other Mounjaro discount cards?
Yes. Currently, there are tirzepatide discount cards and patient assistant programs available. Here’s what we found:
Drugs.com They offer a Drug Discount Card, but again, there are a few stipulations like you can’t use your insurance if it's government provided, such as Medicare and Medicaid.
Mounjaro Free Sharps Container ProgramBecause Mounjaro is an injectable, the pens must be disposed of in a certain container for safety. This program doesn’t discount tirzepatide’s price, but it offers a free sharps container for the used pens.
Are there other weight loss medication options that are more cost-friendly?
There are alternatives if you’d like to use Mounjaro, but the cost is too high for your budget. As we mentioned, Mounjaro is a GIP/GLP-1, meaning it works by mimicking two hormones your body naturally makes. These help control hunger, satiety, and appetite and stimulate the body’s insulin production, helping to control blood sugar levels. This will ultimately help you lose weight.
Along the same lines, a few other GLP-1s are out on the market today. Enter Ozempic and Wegovy—both share the active ingredient, semaglutide. However, Ozempic is prescribed at a slightly lower dose (and indicated for the treatment of type 2 diabetes). In comparison, Wegovy is given at a higher dose and is FDA-approved for weight management. There aren’t generic versions of these medications on the market, so the cost can be higher. Still, Ozempic has been approved for treatment since 2017, so there may be more insurance coverage.
Additionally, you have other options that don’t fall under the GLP-1 medication class but can be helpful for your weight loss journey. One alternative, Metformin, has shown successful weight loss results and may be right for you.
Dr. Rekha Kumar, Chief Medical Officer at Found, asserts, “Metformin is a plant-derived off-label option for weight loss, appetite control, and sugar/carbohydrate craving control. It may help people be more adherent to a low carbohydrate diet for those on that type of plan.” It’s also much more reasonably priced. Remember, your health care provider will prescribe medications to you individually to find what works best.
Is Mounjaro less expensive in certain places?
Thinking of traveling for tirzepatide because of the price? The medication may be cheaper depending on your location and chosen pharmacy. When researching, CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens, and Walmart all had different medication prices, so it may help you to look at the different options in your area.
*GLP-1 Note: "Found is not currently prescribing GLP-1 medications for weight loss, but we are considering it as a part of our strategy to help members meet their weight-loss goals in the future. Stay tuned for updates on a potential GLP-1 rollout at Found. Until then, we can still help you meet your weight-loss goals with our current online weight loss program."
Found offers a science-backed approach to weight care that's based on your unique biology, psychology, lifestyle, and prescription medication needs. The average Found member loses 10 percent of their body weight during their first 12 months on the program. In total, members have lost 800,000 pounds to date. To start your journey with Found, take our quiz.
sources
- Eli Lilly. Jan 2023. How much should I expect to pay for Mounjaro?. Mounjaro Cost Information. https://www.lillypricinginfo.com/mounjaro
- Jastreboff AM, Aronne LJ, Ahmad NN, Wharton S, Connery L, Alves B, Kiyosue A, Zhang S, Liu B, Bunck MC, Stefanski A; SURMOUNT-1 Investigators. Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity. N Engl J Med. 2022 Jul 21;387(3):205-216. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2206038
- Mounjaro. Jan 2023. Savings & Resources for Mounjaro. https://www.mounjaro.com/savings-resources#savings