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How to get Ozempic prescribed for weight loss

Your insurance—and your healthcare provider—will require you to meet certain criteria
Zoey Larsen
By | Dec. 28, 2023 Medically reviewed by Karen Berger, Pharm.D.
A scale and an Ozempic pen | How to get Ozempic for weight loss
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Over the past year, it’s been nearly impossible to miss the various news stories and social chatter surrounding Ozempic (semaglutide) and its revolutionary ability to help people lose weight. Ozempic is a brand name for the prescription drug semaglutide, which was originally developed for Type 2 diabetes management.

Although Ozempic has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 2017, its status as a household name is relatively recent. Popularized by celebrities, influencers, and even friends and relatives, Ozempic has gained notoriety for helping people lose weight. In fact, in clinical trials, patients taking Ozempic were able to lose 10.9% of their body weight over the course of six months. Yet, since it’s a diabetes drug, you have to meet certain characteristics to be prescribed it for weight loss. Weight loss is an off-label, non-FDA-approved use for Ozempic. Here’s what you need to know.

Can I get Ozempic prescribed for weight loss?

Currently, the FDA has approved Ozempic only for Type 2 diabetes management, including managing blood sugar and lowering the risk of heart attack or stroke in those with Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. 

“Ozempic is prescribed for weight loss when a patient also has a diagnosis of diabetes or pre-diabetes (insulin resistance),” says Vadim Sherman, MD, the medical director of the Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery Center at Houston Methodist Department of Surgery in Houston. “In this situation, the medication can be helpful in treating both conditions at the same time.” 

There are some prescribing guidelines that providers must consider when evaluating whether to prescribe a patient semaglutide weight-loss medication. Generally, only patients who are obese (defined as a body mass index, or BMI, of 30 or greater) or who have a BMI of 27 or greater with a weight-related health condition (such as high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, or sleep apnea), are eligible. 

Although Ozempic is FDA-approved only for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, the FDA has approved Wegovy, the same semaglutide medication under a different brand name, for obesity. If your provider won’t prescribe Ozempic for weight loss, they might write a script for Wegovy. 

“Both Ozempic and Wegovy have the same active ingredient, semaglutide,” says Noor A. Khan, MD, who specializes in bariatric medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “The only difference is the pen used for injections and dosing regimen.”

Ozempic and Wegovy are both injectable GLP-1 agonists, which work to mimic the action of a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1. “This means that it stimulates the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptors, which in turn leads to the pancreas increasing the production of insulin, which then helps to lower blood sugar,” Dr. Sherman says. “Therefore, instead of a patient giving themselves insulin, this medication stimulates the pancreas to produce its own.” 

When it comes to weight loss, the process looks like this: After you eat, your blood sugar levels naturally rise. In response, GLP-1 agonists tell the body to produce more insulin, which in turn helps lower glucose levels. This has obvious benefits for those with Type 2 diabetes, but it also can help those who struggle with insulin resistance and weight maintenance. 

However, that’s not the only way that Ozempic, and drugs like it, help patients lose weight. “These medicines reduce appetite by acting centrally in the brain and hence less food intake,” Dr. Khan says. “They also reduce gastric emptying and may help patients feel full longer.”

“Semaglutide is a great choice to both control diabetes and reduce weight,” Dr. Khan continues. “Semaglutide does not just reduce weight and control sugars, it has also been shown to reduce major adverse cardiovascular events, stroke risk, heart failure symptoms and hospitalization, and progression to dialysis in patients with diabetes.” 

She also noted that data from a 2022 trial suggests similar benefits in patients with obesity but not diabetes. This study contributes to the growing idea that patients with cardiovascular risk factors should be considered for semaglutide if they are obese or overweight.

Who can prescribe Ozempic for weight loss? 

Physicians and advanced practice providers (such as nurse practitioners or physician assistants) are able to prescribe medicines for weight loss, including Ozempic or Wegovy, says Dr. Khan. Your healthcare provider will likely ask you questions about your lifestyle, diet, and medical history as well as your past experience with weight loss programs. They may also order blood work to ensure that there are no other underlying health issues before beginning a semaglutide regimen.

Not all providers are comfortable prescribing Ozempic for weight loss, given it is only indicated for Type 2 diabetes management. If your primary care provider does not prescribe Ozempic, it may be worth researching reputable weight loss clinics that are more familiar with the weight loss drug and who will be able to provide ongoing supervision and guidance throughout the duration of the time you’re taking weight loss medication.

There are also various online telehealth sources that prescribe semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, for an upfront monthly fee. In some cases, the weight-loss medication offered is neither brand-name Ozempic nor Wegovy but rather a compounded version of semaglutide. The FDA has urged consumers to use caution when taking medication from these compound pharmacies. If you have any questions about the sources of medications through an online pharmacy, ask your healthcare practitioner for guidance.

Ozempic is associated with a few common side effects, including vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and constipation. More serious side effects include pancreatitis, hypoglycemia, gallbladder problems, allergic reactions, kidney failure, and changes in vision. Additionally, Ozempic is not safe for everyone, and “there are certain contraindications that physicians should be aware of, such as a history of pancreatitis or thyroid cancer,” Dr. Sherman adds.

For these reasons, it’s important to work with a healthcare professional you trust who can make sure Ozempic is safe for you, and if so, monitor you for side effects of Ozempic and follow up on progress in weight maintenance to ensure proper dosing and safety. 

Does insurance cover Ozempic for weight loss?

Because Ozempic is currently approved by the FDA for only diabetes management, health insurance plans are unlikely to cover the prescription medication for off-label uses such as weight loss. However, because Wegovy is FDA approved for weight management, insurance may cover that prescription—but not all insurance plans cover weight-loss treatments. Some providers may require lab tests or documentation of previous weight loss efforts.

“Insurance plans generally cover Ozempic only when a patient has diabetes or prediabetes/insulin resistance,” Dr. Sherman says. “If a patient does not have diabetes, then the insurance plan will not allow the Ozempic to be prescribed for weight loss alone.” 

If you have questions about whether your insurance carrier will cover semaglutide for weight loss, reach out to the company directly. When you speak with your healthcare provider, you can discuss any required documentation together and determine whether you meet the conditions for coverage. While some insurance companies cover medications for weight loss, coverage might not be enough to make the medications affordable. 

How to save on Ozempic for weight loss

The cost of Ozempic can be a challenge for those who do not have insurance coverage, for those with insurance plans that decline to cover the weight-loss drug or even those whose plans don’t cover it adequately. Without insurance coverage, Ozempic can cost as much as $1,500 for a month’s supply, depending on the dose, and has an average retail price of ​​$1,238. However, when insurance does cover the medication, the costs are significantly decreased in many situations, notes Dr. Sherman.

While this number may cause sticker shock, there are a few other methods to save money on an Ozempic prescription. For instance, Ozempic manufacturer Novo Nordisk offers a Patient Assistance Program on its website. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you may be able to save money on your prescription.

Another path is asking your healthcare provider whether Wegovy, Zepbound, or a similar weight loss drug that is typically covered by insurance companies would be a suitable part of a treatment plan. These interventions are similar but can vary in dosing, notes Dr. Khan: “Ozempic is available in a highest dose of 2 mg weekly, and Wegovy is available in a highest dose of 2.4 mg weekly.” 

Finally, consider looking into whether a prescription discount card can help you save money on an Ozempic prescription. With SingleCare, your Ozempic prescription could cost as little as $755 for each pen, a savings of $445 per pen. To learn more about how SingleCare prescription discount cards work or to get your own free card, read more here.

The bottom line: Work with your healthcare provider

Ozempic, and weight loss medications like it, offer tremendous potential for those who are struggling to maintain a healthy weight despite lifestyle changes or a reduced-calorie diet. While the drug isn’t currently approved by the FDA for weight loss, it shows promise for improving weight maintenance in obese or overweight individuals. 

With that in mind, there still may be safe ways to get a prescription for Ozempic, or a drug that works similarly, to aid in weight loss. It’s important to work with your healthcare provider as well as your insurance company and to have a medical provider monitor you for both side effects as well as proper dosage.