How can I get Ozempic for free — or at least for less?

Wondering “how can I get Ozempic for free”? You’re in the right place. In this article, we cover how you can get Ozempic for free — or at least less. Read on to find out what it costs, how to get discounts, and what alternative medications are available. 

If you’re curious about Ozempic, find a weight loss provider on Klarity to find out if Ozempic is right for you with an appointment in as little as 24 hours. 

What is Ozempic and what does it cost?

Ozempic (semaglutide) is an injectable medication that’s effective for lowering blood sugar and A1C in adults with type 2 diabetes. It’s also approved to reduce the risk of a major cardiovascular event, such as heart attack, stroke, or death, in people with type 2 diabetes and known heart disease. What’s more, data and real users report an added benefit of weight loss, although this is an off-label use. 

Ozempic’s retail price is around $1,029 per month, according to drugs.com. Without insurance coverage or other savings options, this is roughly what you’ll pay each month for Ozempic, though prices typically vary by pharmacy. 

What popular pharmacies charge for Ozempic.

How to get Ozempic free or at a discount

It’s possible to get Ozempic for free or at a discount. Find your potential savings options here.

Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic Savings Card program

Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic Savings Card program lets you get Ozempic for $25 a month. You need to have commercial or private insurance to be eligible. With the Savings Card, you can save up to $150 a month for a 1-, 2-, or 3-month supply. So, if your insurance copay for Ozempic is $250 for a 1-month supply, you’ll pay just $100 at the pharmacy. 

The maximum savings limits are $150 per 1-month supply, $300 per 2-month supply, and $450 per 3-month supply.

Insurance coverage options for Ozempic

If your insurance plan covers Ozempic, you’ll likely pay less than the retail price. In fact, Ozempic costs $200 to $300 per month on average with insurance coverage. Depending on your plan, your copay could even be less than $10. Call the customer service number on the back of your insurance card to verify how much you’ll pay for Ozempic with insurance.

Compounded semaglutide

Choosing compounded semaglutide over Ozempic is another way to save. A compounding pharmacy can compound semaglutide, Ozempic’s active ingredient, into a medication that, if needed, can be tailored to your needs. Compared to Ozempic’s $1,029 retail price, average costs for compounded semaglutide are less than $500 per month. Reasons to choose compounded semaglutide include personal preference, allergies, added ingredients, and trouble finding Ozempic in stock. 

If you’re considering compounded semaglutide, consult your healthcare provider. They’ll give you a prescription and help you find a reputable compounding pharmacy. 

Prescription discount cards

Prescription discount cards can help you save anywhere from 3% to 80% on Ozempic with or without insurance. Download or print free coupons from websites like GoodRx, SingleCareRx, drugs.com, or Optum Perks and take them to your pharmacy for savings. You can also ask your pharmacy if they have available discounts, as some are already tied into prescription discount card programs. 

90-day or mail order refills

Filling a 90-day supply of Ozempic can sometimes be more affordable than buying 1 month at a time. Some insurance companies encourage this by lowering drug copays for 90-day supplies or when you choose a mail-order pharmacy. Not all insurance companies cover 90-day refills. Reach out to your insurance provider to find out.

HSA and FSA funds

You may be able to use funds from a health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA) to help cover your cost for Ozempic. You can also use your FSA or HSA for weight loss programs and medication. To determine whether you’re eligible, your healthcare provider may need to submit a letter of medical necessity to your account administrator. Talk to your account administrator to find out what you need to do to pay for Ozempic with either your HSA or FSA funds. 

Novo Nordisk Patient Assistance Program (PAP)

If you’re eligible for the Novo Nordisk Patient Assistance Program (PAP), you could get Ozempic for free. It provides medication at no cost to patients who qualify, which requires you: 

• Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident
• Have a total household income at or below 400% of the federal poverty level
• Have Medicare or no health insurance
• Not be enrolled in or qualified for any other government program, such as Medicaid or a veteran using VA health care benefits
• Have a prescription for a medication manufactured by Novo Nordisk

If you meet these requirements, you can apply for the PAP on Novo Nordisk’s NovoCare website. 

Government assistance programs for accessing Ozempic for free

Most Medicaid and Medicare programs cover Ozempic when prescribed for on-label use, but won’t cover Ozempic for weight loss. Medicaid prescription coverage varies by state. Contact your state’s plan administrator to determine whether Ozempic is covered and what you’ll pay.

Medicare recipients with limited income may qualify for savings on Ozempic. The Medicare Part D Extra Help Program helps cover deductibles and copays for prescription medications. If you qualify, you pay up to $11.20 for each brand-name drug you use, including Ozempic. You can apply for the Extra Help program on the Social Security Administration’s website.

Ozempic alternatives

If your insurance doesn’t cover Ozempic or it isn’t right for you, there are alternative medications for type 2 diabetes as well as weight loss injections and pills you can try. 

The most similar alternatives to Ozempic are other glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists and related injections. These drugs work for weight loss by lowering blood sugar and slowing digestion after you eat. The overall effect is to reduce your appetite, so you eat less and potentially lose weight.

There are weight loss drugs from other classes that are available in other forms too. The table below highlights some of the best prescription weight loss medications available.

Mounjaro (tirzepatide)

Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is an injectable medication approved by the FDA to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes. It’s also effective for weight loss, although using it for weight loss alone isn’t FDA-approved. In clinical trials, people with obesity or overweight lost up to 20.9% of their body weight with tirzepatide treatment. 

Mounjaro’s active ingredient, tirzepatide, is a dual GLP-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonist. It works like a GLP-1 agonist drug, except data shows it’s more effective for lowering blood sugar. 

On average, Mounjaro costs $1,135 for a 1-month supply.

Trulicity (dulaglutide)

Trulicity (dulaglutide) is a GLP-1 agonist injection that’s FDA-approved to lower blood sugar and A1C in people aged 10 and older with type 2 diabetes. It also lowers the risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attack, stroke, or death, in people with type 2 diabetes and known heart disease. Although it isn’t a weight loss medication, clinical trial participants taking Trulicity reported 3% to 5% body weight loss over 52 weeks.

Trulicity’s retail price is $1,039 for a 1-month supply.

Victoza (liraglutide)

Victoza (liraglutide) is a GLP-1 agonist injection FDA-approved to improve blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes. It’s meant to be used in combination with a low-calorie diet and regular exercise. Even though it isn’t approved for weight loss, clinical trial data from people with type 2 diabetes show that you can lose around 5 pounds in 1 year with Victoza. 

A 1-month supply of Victoza costs $582 on average. 

Saxenda (liraglutide)

Saxenda (liraglutide) is a GLP-1 agonist drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for weight management in combination with increased physical activity and a low-calorie diet. It’s meant for adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater, or 27 or greater with a weight-related health condition, such as type 2 diabetes or heart disease. In clinical trials, participants taking Saxenda lost 5%, and sometimes up to 10%, of their body weight over 56 weeks. 

You can get Saxenda for weight loss for around $1,430 per 1-month supply. 

Wegovy (semaglutide)

Wegovy (semaglutide) is another GLP-1 agonist injection that’s FDA-approved for weight loss in adults with a BMI of 30 or greater, or 27 or greater with a weight-related health condition. It can also be used in adolescents aged 12 and older who are in the 95th percentile for their age and sex. Wegovy is meant to be used alongside diet and exercise changes. With these changes, clinical trial participants lost an average of 14.9% of their body weight over 68 weeks on Wegovy. 

A 1-month supply of Wegovy injection pens retails for around $1,430. You may spend less with a Wegovy coupon from websites like GoodRx, SingleCareRx, WellRx, and Optum Perks. 

Zepbound (tirzepatide)

Zepbound (tirzepatide) is dual GLP-1/GIP agonist drug that’s approved for chronic weight management alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. It’s meant for adults with a BMI of 30 or greater, or 27 or greater with a weight-related health condition, like high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes. In clinical trials, people taking Zepbound lost up to 20.9% of their body weight.

A 1-month supply of Zepbound costs $1,126 on average.

Xenical (orlistat)

Xenical (orlistat) is a prescription weight loss pill. It’s FDA-approved for weight management in adults with a BMI of more than 30, or more than 27 with a weight-related health condition. Xenical should be used in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. Clinical trials show that it causes up to 2.4% body weight loss over 4 years.

It’s a lipase inhibitor, meaning it causes the enzymes that break down fat in your digestive tract to absorb less fat from the food you eat. The less fat is absorbed, the less calories your body receives, potentially leading to weight loss. 

A 1-month supply of Xenical capsules retails for $803 on average. A lower dose of orlistat is sold as over-the-counter (OTC) medication Alli, which retails for $56 for a month’s supply.

Contrave (bupropion-naltrexone)

Contrave (bupropion-naltrexone) is an oral tablet medication that is often used as part of a medical weight loss program. Meant for adults with a BMI of 30 or greater, or 27 or greater with a weight-related health condition, such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure, Contrave is approved for weight management alongside diet and exercise changes. 

Contrave is a combination of 2 medications — an antidepressant, bupropion, and an opioid antagonist, naltrexone. Together, they work on your brain’s reward system to help control appetite and cravings. In clinical trials, people using a combination of bupropion and naltrexone for weight loss lost 5 to 10% of their initial body weight. This far exceeded the number of participants who achieved 5 to 10% weight loss with another medication.

The retail price for Contrave is $668 for a 1-month supply.

Qsymia (phentermine-topiramate)

Qsymia (phentermine-topiramate) is an oral capsule FDA-approved for weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or greater, or 27 or greater with a weight-related health condition. It’s meant to be combined with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. 

Qsymia is a combination of 2 active ingredients. Phentermine works in the brain to suppress your appetite, while topiramate is an anti-seizure medication that helps you feel full. In clinical trials, participants taking Qsymia lost 5 to 10% of their initial body weight in 56 weeks.

A 1-month supply of Qsymia retails for around $211.

Adipex-P (phentermine)

Adipex-P (phentermine) is an oral tablet medication approved for short-term weight management. It’s meant for use in adults with a BMI of more than 30, or more than 27 with at least one weight-related health condition, such as type 2 diabetes or heart disease. It should be used in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. 

Adipex-P’s active ingredient, phentermine, is a stimulant medication. While experts aren’t sure how it leads to weight loss, they suspect it works on the brain to suppress appetite. In a retrospective study, 62% of patients taking Adipex-P for short-term weight management lost 3% or more of their body weight in 3 months.

A 1-month supply of Adipex-P retails for around $76.

Key takeaway

Ozempic is an injectable GLP-1 agonist medication that’s approved to lower blood sugar (glucose) and A1C in people with type 2 diabetes and reduce the risk of a major cardiovascular event, such as heart attack, stroke, or death, in people with type 2 diabetes and known heart disease. It’s also used off-label for weight loss. 

Ozempic is expensive, with a retail price of $1,029 per month. It’s possible to get Ozempic for free or at a discount with health insurance coverage or programs like the Ozempic Savings Card, Novo Nordisk’s Patient Assistance Program, and the Medicare Part D Extra Help Program. You can also save money with prescription discount coupons from websites like GoodRx, Optum Perks, drugs.com, and SingleCareRx. Compounded semaglutide is another to get semaglutide at a lower cost. 

Alternatives to Ozempic may help you save money. If you’re considering a cheaper alternative to Ozempic, talk to your healthcare provider. They can go over your options and help you choose the right medication for your needs.

Talk to a provider about Ozempic in as little as 24 hours

On Klarity, get an appointment with a licensed healthcare provider in as little as 24 hours. Your provider will determine whether Ozempic or another treatment is right for you. Get started and find a provider on Klarity today. 

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The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional with any questions or concerns you have regarding your health.

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