How Much Does Ozempic Cost? Ozempic Price Breakdown

Ozempic^® (semaglutide) is a prescription medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help with blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes. It’s also commonly prescribed off-label for weight loss. But how much does Ozempic cost?

The cost of Ozempic varies based on factors like:

• Whether you have insurance coverage

• If you’re eligible for discount programs

Without insurance or discount programs, Ozempic can cost around $1,000 a month. Most insurance providers only cover the cost when it’s used to treat type 2 diabetes.

Read on to learn about the cost of Ozempic without insurance, when your insurance plan may offer coverage, what type of discount programs are available, and how the price compares to other weight loss medications.

Ozempic can be nearly $1,000 a month. But the actual cost of Ozempic you pay out of pocket depends on whether you have insurance coverage or qualify for discount programs.

Without insurance coverage or a cost-savings card, you’ll likely pay the list price for brand-name Ozempic. The list price is the cost the drug manufacturer sets before applying insurance or discounts.

According to Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical company that produces Ozempic, the list price as of April 2025 is currently $997.58 for a monthly supply (four weekly doses). This is what Ozempic costs without insurance in the United States.

The list price of Ozempic tends to be higher in the U.S. than in many other countries. Novo Nordisk Savings Offer to Reduce Ozempic Cost

Novo Nordisk offers a discount savings card for Ozempic, but only people whose insurance plan already covers Ozempic are eligible. Most insurance plans that cover Ozempic only pay for the drug when it’s prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes.

According to the Ozempic website, if you qualify, you may pay as little as $25 per month for a one-month, two-month, or three-month supply. The maximum savings is $100 a month for up to 48 months.

Novo Nordisk offers a discount savings card for Ozempic. According to the Ozempic website, you may pay as little as $25 per month for a one-month, two-month, or three-month supply. The maximum savings is $150 a month for up to 24 months.

To qualify for the offer, you need to have an eligible commercial insurance plan. Most commercial plans that cover Ozempic only pay for the drug when it’s prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes, along with healthy eating and regular exercise.

Most government and private insurance providers don’t offer coverage for medications used for weight loss alone. They may offer coverage when you take Ozempic as a diabetes drug.

Check your insurance coverage details before you start taking Ozempic or other medications that contain the active ingredient semaglutide. Each insurance policy sets its own eligibility criteria.

For example, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts offers coverage for Ozempic for treating type 2 diabetes when it’s prescribed as part of step therapy. Step therapy is when your insurance only offers coverage once you‘ve tried a preferred drug first.

 In the case of Ozempic, Step 1 drugs include:

• Bydureon BCise^®

• Byetta^®

• Trulicity^®

Preferred drugs are often cheaper alternatives.

Medicare and Medicaid Ozempic Coverage

Medicare and Medicaid don’t currently offer coverage for medications solely for the purpose of weight loss.

Medicare offers healthcare coverage for people over 65 or with certain disabilities in four parts:

• Part A covers hospital expenses.

• Part B covers medical equipment and outpatient care.

• Part C is a Medicare-approved plan from a private company that offers alternative health and drug coverage.

• Part D covers prescription medications.

Medicare Part D covers Ozempic for weight loss when it’s used to treat type 2 diabetes if you meet the eligibility criteria. Medicare Part D is prohibited to cover “agents when used for anorexia, weight loss, or weight gain (even if used for a non-cosmetic purpose.”

Medicaid is another government insurance program available for people with low incomes. This program covers nearly all FDA-approved drugs for the conditions they’ve been approved to treat. However, Medicaid doesn’t offer coverage for weight loss drugs, even if they’ve been FDA-approved for this reason.

The cost of Ozempic with insurance can depend on your insurance provider. Some insurance providers may require a copay or that you reach your deductible first.

A copay is a flat rate you pay out of pocket each time you get a prescription filled. A deductible is the amount you need to pay for healthcare costs in a given year before your insurance will offer additional coverage.

Many insurance providers have tools to help subscribers estimate the out-of-pocket price of medications. 

See our guide to find out what weight loss drugs are covered by insurance.

There isn’t a generic version of Ozempic yet. Novo Nordisk still holds a patent on the medication and its active ingredient, semaglutide.

According to the FDA, most brand-name medications have a five-year protection period where they’re free from price competition from generic alternatives. But drug manufacturers can get extensions on their patents, so it could be longer than that before generic semaglutide hits the market.

The FDA requires generic alternatives to be equivalent to their brand-name counterparts in:

• Safety

• Strength

• Route of administration

• Quality

• Performance

• Intended use

Ozempic contains the active ingredient semaglutide. While semaglutide isn’t available as a generic drug yet, there are other forms of the medication, including Wegovy^®, and Rybelsus^®.

Wegovy^®, Rybelsus, and Ozempic all contain the active ingredient semaglutide. All three medications are prescription drugs, meaning they aren’t available over the counter.

Wegovy^®

Wegovy^® is FDA-approved to:

• Aid in weight loss for people with obesity

• Support weight loss for folks with overweight and at least one weight-related complication (such as diabetes)

• Aid in weight loss for children over 12 with a BMI (body mass index) over the ninety-fifth percentile for their age and sex

Wegovy^® is intended for use alongside increased physical activity and a reduced-calorie diet. 

The list price for Wegovy^® is currently $1,349.02. Though Wegovy^® is FDA-approved for weight loss, most health insurance plans still don’t offer coverage.

If you’re interested in Wegovy^® for weight loss, you can connect with a licensed healthcare provider through the Hers platform to see if it’s a good fit for you. 

Included in the cost of your medication, you’ll get access to unlimited, 24/7 provider messaging, daily movement and protein recommendations, 100+ high-protein recipes, fitness videos, and more. 

Check out our guide to Wegovy^® costs to learn more.

Ozempic

Ozempic is FDA-approved to help people with type 2 diabetes improve their blood sugar control along with regular exercise and a healthy diet. It’s also FDA-approved to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes and established heart disease.

Ozempic isn’t FDA-approved to treat weight loss in people with obesity, but it’s often used off-label for this purpose. Off-label is when a healthcare professional prescribes a medication for something other than what it was FDA-approved to treat.

As noted, the Ozempic list price is currently $997.58.

Rybelsus

Rybelsus is also only FDA-approved to treat type 2 diabetes but may be prescribed off-label to help with weight loss. Some people prefer taking Rybelsus to other forms of semaglutide because it’s administered orally instead of through an injection. But you take it once a day instead of weekly.

The list price for Rybelsus is currently $997.58 — the same as Ozempic.

Ozempic isn’t your only option if you’re looking for medication to support weight loss.  Here’s a look at what Ozempic alternatives for weight loss can cost. 

Common side effects of Ozempic listed on the FDA label include:

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Abdominal pain

• Constipation

Rare, but serious side effects may include:

• Pancreatic inflammation (pancreatitis)

• Worsening diabetic retinopathy complications

• Worsening kidney function

• Allergic reaction

• Low blood sugar, when used with other diabetes medications

• Gallstones

• Rapid heart rate

There could also be a possible increased risk of thyroid tumors. But this is based on rodent studies, and it’s unknown if Ozempic could affect humans the same way.

Our guide to semaglutide side effects goes into more detail.

Here’s what to keep in mind about Ozempic prices with and without insurance:

• Ozempic is one of the brand names semaglutide is sold under in the United States.

• This injectable medication is only FDA-approved to help with blood sugar control in those with type 2 diabetes, but it’s also often prescribed off-label to treat overweight and obesity.

• Insurance companies are unlikely to provide coverage when Ozempic is used solely as a weight loss drug.

• Your healthcare provider can help you decide if Ozempic is right for you, or if another weight loss medication is more suitable.

• There are a number of Ozempic alternatives for weight loss, some of which are considerably more affordable. On the Hers platform, you can access weight loss medication (if eligible) starting from $69 a month (with a 10-month plan paid up front in full).

If you think you might benefit from weight loss medication, you can take our free online assessment.

Ozempic^® and Wegovy^® are registered trademarks of Novo Nordisk A/S. Hims, Inc. is not affiliated with or endorsed by Novo Nordisk A/S.