Search for articles or Rx savings
Key takeaways
Ozempic, a prescription drug for Type 2 diabetes and heart disease risk reduction, is expensive without insurance, costing up to $1,368 for a single pen injector.
There is no generic version of Ozempic available, leading uninsured patients to potentially pay full retail prices, though savings cards and patient assistance programs can offer some relief.
Uninsured patients are advised to explore other antidiabetic drugs as cheaper alternatives and to use resources like SingleCare to find discounts on Ozempic.
Strategies to afford Ozempic without insurance include using savings cards, enrolling in patient assistance programs, buying health insurance, applying for Medicaid, and comparing pharmacy prices.
Ozempic (semaglutide) is a prescription drug that lowers blood sugar levels in people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. It is also prescribed to reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems such as heart attack in people diagnosed with both Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Ozempic belongs to a family of drugs called GLP-1 agonists. Ozempic is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for weight loss, however, some healthcare professionals prescribe it off-label for this purpose since it contains the same active ingredient as the prescription weight-loss drug Wegovy. There is no generic version of Ozempic available, so uninsured patients may need to pay the full retail price for the drug.
Is Ozempic covered by insurance?
Many commercial health insurance plans and Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans cover Ozempic prescription when it’s prescribed for Type 2 diabetes, but not as a weight-loss medication. Some insurance companies may require prior authorization before covering the cost of Ozempic or may require that you use another class of antidiabetic drug first.
How much does Ozempic cost without insurance?
The list price of Ozempic (0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, and 2 mg pens) is $935, but the retail price may be more depending on any charges associated with your pharmacy. Your insurance provider may cover some of the cost of an Ozempic prescription, but there may be a copay which can vary depending on the plan.
People without insurance should also ask the prescribing healthcare professional about other types of antidiabetic drugs that are available as lower-priced generics, including metformin, sulfonylureas, meglitinides, and alpha-glucosidase inhibitors. These lower-cost drugs are all FDA-approved as effective at lowering blood glucose, but they may not be fully adequate substitutes for Ozempic. To control blood sugar levels, over-the-counter medications or supplements are not recommended to be substituted for prescription medications.
Compare Ozempic prices to related drugs |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug name | Price without insurance of brand-name drug | SingleCare price | Savings options |
| Ozempic (semaglutide) | $936 per 1, 1.5 mL of 2 mg/1.5 mL auto-injector pen | $815 per 1, 1.5 mL of 2 mg/1.5 mL auto-injector pen of brand-name Ozempic | See latest prices |
| Wegovy
(semaglutide) |
$1,349 per 4, 0.5ML of 0.25 mg/0.5 mL auto-injector pens | $1,234 per 4, 0.5 mL of 0.25 mg/0.5 mL auto-injector pens of brand-name Wegovy | See latest prices |
| Mounjaro
(tirzepatide) |
$1,069 per 4, 0.5 mL of 5 mg/0.5 mL auto-injector pens | $994 per 4, 0.5 mL of 5 mg/0.5 mL auto-injector pens of brand-name Mounjaro | See latest prices |
| Zepbound
(tirzepatide) |
$1,060 per 4, 0.5 mL of 5 mg/0.5 mL auto-injector pens | $1034 per 4, 0.5 mL of 5 mg/0.5 mL auto-injector pens of brand-name Zepbound | See latest prices |
| Victoza (liraglutide) | $815 per 3, 3 mL of 18 mg/3 mL auto-injector pens | $665 per 3, 3 mL of 18 mg/3 mL auto-injector pens of brand-name Victoza | See latest prices |
| Saxenda
(liraglutide) |
$1,698 per
5, 3 mL of 18 mg/mL auto-injector pens |
$1,157 per 5, 3 mL of 18 mg/3 mL auto-injector pens of brand-name Saxenda | See latest prices |
Prescription drug prices often change. These are the most accurate medication prices at the time of publishing. The listed price without insurance references the price of brand-name drugs. The listed SingleCare price references the price of generic drugs if available. Click the link under “Savings options” to see updated drug prices.
How to get Ozempic without insurance
With a yearly cost topping $16,000, Ozempic can be very difficult to pay for without prescription drug insurance coverage. Fortunately, there are ways to save money on an Ozempic prescription. The first step is to get a SingleCare discount card to save money on all your prescriptions.
1. Use a SingleCare savings card
Patients can save on an Ozempic prescription simply by using a free Ozempic coupon from SingleCare. The SingleCare savings card can be used at participating pharmacies and can reduce the weekly cost of Ozempic from $234 per week to as little as $204 per week.
2. Ask the prescriber for medical advice about similar drugs
Ozempic belongs to a family of drugs called GLP-1 agonists. This family includes several other drugs. Unfortunately, all of them are premium-priced, brand-name drugs. However, Ozempic tops the list in terms of cost, so switching to another GLP-1 agonist may save hundreds of dollars.
3. Buy a health insurance policy
One of the most enduring ways to save money on long-term, high-priced medications like Ozempic is to purchase health insurance with a prescription drug benefit. Not only are many health insurance plans cheaper than a year’s expenditure on Ozempic, but some plans are also surprisingly affordable. Start by comparing prices on your state’s health insurance marketplace website.
4. Ask the prescriber about enrolling in patient assistance
Realistically, even with substantial savings, Ozempic is difficult to afford. Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Ozempic, offers a patient assistance program for uninsured patients, Novocare, but the prescribing healthcare provider must help with enrollment. If you meet the income eligibility requirements, you may be able to receive Ozempic at no cost. The prescriber should have enrollment forms and additional information about the program.
Sources
- Prior authorization, Healthinsurance.org