How much does Zepbound cost?

Injectable GLP-1 agonist medications can be expensive if they aren’t covered by insurance, and the newest one, Zepbound, is no exception. But don’t just assume there’s no way you can afford it. There are ways to bring down how much Zepbound costs — with insurance or without. Here’s what you should know.

How much is Zepbound without insurance?

According to Eli Lilly and Company, the company that manufactures Zepbound (tirzepatide), the current retail list price is $1,086.37 per month if paying out of pocket. This can vary slightly, depending on the particular pharmacy you choose. This is around the same as other injectable GLP-1 weight-loss medications, like Wegovy (semaglutide) and Saxenda (liraglutide).

How much is Zepbound with insurance?

The figure will be different for everyone, as all insurance plans vary in regards to coverage, deductibles, and copayments. But insurance coverage will likely bring down the cost of Zepbound significantly. “With insurance, you can definitely get it for reasonable amounts,” says Dr. Supriya Rao, M.D., a board-certified physician in internal medicine, gastroenterology, obesity medicine, and lifestyle medicine in Boston. “I have patients who get it for $50 a month.”

Does insurance cover Zepbound?

While some insurance plans cover Zepbound and other GLP-1 weight-loss medications, many do not. A 2024 survey by the health-policy research firm KFF found that only 18% of companies with 200 or more employees include coverage for GLP-1 weight-loss medications in their insurance plans.

GLP-1 medications that are FDA-approved to treat type 2 diabetes — Ozempic (semaglutide), Mounjaro (tirzepatide), and Trulicity (dulaglutide) — are more often covered by insurance than those that are indicated specifically for weight loss. “If somebody only has overweight or obesity without diabetes, approval for the weight-loss brands — Zepbound or Wegovy — can be very hit or miss, depending on what type of plan the patient has,” says Dr. Michael Glickman, M.D., a board-certified physician in obesity, family and lifestyle medicine, and the founder of Revolution Medicine, Health & Fitness in Washington, D.C.

But this all may change in the not-too-distant future as the medications are approved for more and more health conditions. “For example, Zepbound was recently approved for sleep apnea,” says Glickman. So over time, as we see more approvals being added to the labels of these drugs, I think there's a good chance that the insurance companies will have to offer coverage for these other indications.”

Does Medicaid cover Zepbound?

It varies from state to state. As of August 2024, Medicaid programs in 13 states covered GLP-1 drugs for obesity: North Carolina, California, Delaware, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Wisconsin. You can find more information about your state’s Medicaid coverage on the Zepbound website.

Does Medicare cover Zepbound?

Medicare Part D plans, which is the add-on prescription drug coverage available through the federal health insurance program, do not currently cover Zepbound or other weight-loss medications (they do cover the GLP-1s approved for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, however).

How to save on Zepbound without insurance

There are ways to save money on Zepbound if you don’t have insurance or if your insurance plan doesn’t cover your Zepbound prescription. For instance, the LillyDirect self-pay option allows you to buy Zepbound directly from the manufacturer for a reduced price (starting at $349). An important note: This form of Zepbound is with a vial of medication and a syringe, not the auto-injector Zepbound pens. This can make giving yourself your weekly dose intimidating for many people. It’s also only available in the 2.5 mg and 5 mg dosages. Here are some other ways to save:

Telehealth prescription services

A telehealth visit with a licensed provider who can prescribe Zepbound — like those through WeightWatchers— may be able to help you save some money on your prescription. The telehealth visits tend to cost less than going to a doctor on your own without insurance and your WeightWatchers membership can connect you to an Insurance Coordinator, who will help you figure out whether Zepbound is covered by your plan and what other cost-saving options are available to you.

Some telehealth services and online pharmacies offer a compounded tirzepatide for less money than brand-name Zepbound. Compounded drugs are made by a pharmacy, not a drug manufacturer, and include the same ingredients as the brand-name drug. A note, though: They are only available for drugs that are on the FDA’s drug shortages list.

Get a 90-day supply

When you first start Zepbound, your provider will likely start you on the lowest dose and then slowly work up to monitor your progress and side effects. Once you’ve reached your maintenance dose, which is the one you will stay on, you may be able to request your provider write a prescription for a 90-day supply. This can be more cost-effective than refilling it one month at a time — and will save you trips to the pharmacy.

Zepbound savings card

The Zepbound Savings Card is available to U.S. residents ages 18 and older who’ve been prescribed Zepbound for weight loss and are insured but can’t get covered under their prescription plan. With the Savings Card, people can pay as little as $25 for a one-, two-, or three-month prescription of Zepbound. The Savings Card can be used for up to 13 Zepbound prescriptions in one calendar year.

Here are the eligibility criteria:

• You are enrolled in a commercial drug insurance plan;
• You are not enrolled in any state, federal, or government funded healthcare program, including, without limitation, Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare Part D, Medicare Advantage, Medigap, DoD, VA, TRICARE®/CHAMPUS, or any state prescription drug assistance program.

Are there cheaper alternatives to Zepbound?

Other medications are FDA-approved to treat obesity. While some cost about the same as Zepbound, there are others with a much lower price.

GLP-1 drugs

The list prices for the other FDA-approved GLP-1 weight-loss medications, Wegovy (semaglutide) and Saxenda (liraglutide), are actually slightly higher than Zepbound’s price: $1,349 for a month’s supply. But liraglutide is now available as a generic, unlike other GLP-1 medications, which can be much less expensive than brand-name Saxenda. Talk to your provider about whether the generic liraglutide is appropriate for you. Novo Nordisk also offers a savings plan for Wegovy that can bring the cost down to $0 a month for people whose insurance partially covers their prescription and $650 a month for those whose insurance won’t cover their prescription.

Non-GLP-1 alternatives

Going the non-GLP-1 route for weight-loss medications will likely save you money. Many of these medications have been on the market for a long time and come in generic form, Rao explains. Plus, they are usually taken as a pill. “Orals tend to be much cheaper than injectables.”

Qsymia (phentermine/topiramate) and Contrave (bupropion-naltrexone) — or their generic counterparts — are two options. Phentermine can also be prescribed by itself for weight loss.

Metformin is an inexpensive medication that is FDA-approved to manage high blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes patients, but it may also “give some mild amount of weight loss,” Rao says. “It’s most helpful for patients with prediabetes and diabetes. I use [it] in some cases, especially in patients who are on antidepressants or antipsychotics. It helps with weight gain associated with those medications.”

The bottom line

Zepbound can be expensive if you don’t have insurance, with a list price of more than $1,000 a month. Zepbound and other GLP-1 agonist medications that are FDA-approved for obesity are less likely to be covered by health insurance plans than GLP-1 drugs that have been approved to treat type 2 diabetes. This means consumers may pay more out of pocket to use Zepbound. The drug’s manufacturer, Eli Lilly and Company, offers savings programs to reduce the price. Non-GLP-1 medications for weight loss are typically much less expensive alternatives.