Wegovy®

Wegovy® is a brand-name injectable semaglutide drug manufactured by Novo Nordisk. Wegovy mimics the body’s natural gut hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). GLP-1 is crucial in regulating blood sugar and appetite and can help slow digestion and keep you feeling fuller longer. 

It’s approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for weight loss in adults with obesity (a body mass index—BMI—of 30 or greater) or adults with excess weight (a BMI of 27 or greater) who have at least one weight-related condition (such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol).

Wegovy is also approved for treating obesity in adolescents (ages 12 to 17) who have a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for age and sex based on CDC growth charts.

Check your body mass index using our free BMI calculator.

Eating triggers the release of GLP-1 in the gut, which stimulates insulin secretion to help lower blood glucose or blood sugar.

In some, though, the gut either doesn’t make enough of the natural GLP-1 hormone or the GLP-1 receptor cells in the brain aren’t sensitive to it. In people with impaired GLP-1 functioning, Wegovy mimics GLP-1 and stimulates the body’s receptor cells. With Wegovy helping signal fullness to the brain, “food noise” and persistent feelings of hunger can decrease. As a result, people are able to lose weight. For a more details, check out our detailed guide on how Wegovy works for weight loss.

How much you’ll pay for Wegovy depends on your insurance coverage. Found membership starts at $17 per month with health insurance, which does not include the cost of Wegovy.

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The current list price of Wegovy is $1,349.02 for a 28-day supply, and retail prices range from $1,321 to $1,650 for a 28-day supply. Wegovy’s manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, has its own online pharmacy, NovoCare®, which reduces the out-of-pocket price of Wegovy to $499 for a 28-day supply.

Insurance coverage for Wegovy will depend on a few factors, including the details and limitations of your plan and your diagnosis. Some insurance providers do not cover GLP-1 medications for weight loss but will cover them for other diagnoses. 

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If you have health insurance through your employer, you can ask to speak with a benefits advisor to better understand your coverage. If your employer’s health care plan excludes weight care treatments, you can use this template as a guideline to write a letter to your human resources team to encourage future coverage of weight management and obesity care. 

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States individually determine which prescription drugs to include in their Medicaid coverage. To learn if prescription weight loss drugs are covered by Medicaid in your state, check online for your state’s Medicaid formulary or preferred drug list. . Unfortunately, Medicare typically does not cover drugs prescribed solely for weight loss.