Semaglutide costs roughly $1,000 per month at list price for the injectable forms (Ozempic and Wegovy), though what you actually pay varies wildly depending on your insurance, the brand, and where you get it. Some people pay nothing out of pocket, while others spend $500 or more each month. Here’s a full breakdown of what to expect.
List Prices for Each Brand
Semaglutide is sold under three brand names in the United States, each approved for different uses. Ozempic (for type 2 diabetes) has a list price of $1,027.51 per month, regardless of whether you’re on the 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, or 2 mg dose. That flat pricing means your cost doesn’t change as your doctor increases your dose over time.
Wegovy (for weight management) is priced higher at about $1,349 per month at the maintenance dose. Rybelsus, the oral tablet form of semaglutide used for diabetes, lists at around $936 per month. These are manufacturer list prices before any insurance negotiation, rebates, or discounts are applied.
Novo Nordisk, the company behind all three brands, announced in early 2026 that it will lower list prices to $675 across Wegovy, Ozempic, and Rybelsus starting January 1, 2027. That’s a significant reduction, though still far more than what patients pay in other countries.
What You’ll Actually Pay With Insurance
If your insurance covers semaglutide, your copay could be anywhere from $0 to $150 per month depending on your plan’s formulary tier and deductible structure. Many commercial insurance plans cover Ozempic for type 2 diabetes with standard copays. Coverage for Wegovy as a weight loss medication is less consistent, with some plans excluding it entirely.
Insurers typically require prior authorization before they’ll cover semaglutide. For diabetes, this usually means confirming a type 2 diabetes diagnosis and showing that other first-line treatments haven’t been enough to control blood sugar. For weight management, most plans require a BMI of 30 or higher (or 27 with a weight-related health condition), and some require documentation that diet and exercise alone haven’t worked.
Novo Nordisk offers a savings card for commercially insured patients that can bring costs down to as little as $0 per month, or no more than $650 per month for those without insurance. If your plan covers Wegovy, separate manufacturer coupons can reduce your copay to as little as $225 per 28-day supply.
Medicare Coverage Is Changing
Medicare Part D has historically not covered weight loss drugs, which left many older adults paying full price for Wegovy. That’s starting to shift. Medicare already covers Wegovy for patients with established cardiovascular disease and obesity or overweight, since the drug is also approved to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes in that population. If that applies to you, your Part D plan handles coverage through its standard formulary process.
For broader weight loss coverage, CMS is launching the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, a temporary program running from July 2026 through December 2027. This will give eligible Part D beneficiaries access to Wegovy (and certain other GLP-1 drugs) specifically for weight reduction. Separately, semaglutide is among the drugs selected for federal price negotiation under the Inflation Reduction Act, with negotiated prices taking effect January 1, 2027.
Telehealth Subscription Plans
Several telehealth platforms now offer semaglutide through monthly subscription models that bundle the medication with virtual medical visits. For injectable Wegovy, monthly costs range from $329 on a 3-month plan down to $249 on a 12-month commitment. Oral semaglutide subscriptions run from $289 to $249 per month depending on the plan length. Platforms offering these include Ro, WeightWatchers, and LifeMD.
GoodRx also entered this space through its telemedicine platform, offering the two lowest doses of oral semaglutide at $149 per month through April 2026, with higher doses at $299 monthly. These subscription models can be a practical middle ground for people whose insurance doesn’t cover the drug but who find the full list price out of reach.
Compounded Semaglutide
Compounded versions of semaglutide, made by specialty pharmacies that mix custom formulations, have been available at lower prices. These typically cost between $200 and $500 per month, with most falling in the $250 to $500 range depending on the dose and pharmacy. The FDA has been tightening regulations around compounded semaglutide, so availability and legality can shift. Compounded drugs do not go through the same approval process as brand-name medications, which means there’s less oversight on consistency and purity.
How U.S. Prices Compare Globally
The price gap between the United States and the rest of the world is stark. A month of Ozempic costs about $936 at U.S. list price compared to roughly $169 in Japan and under $100 in the United Kingdom, Australia, France, and Sweden. Wegovy shows a similar pattern: $1,349 in the U.S. versus $328 in Germany and $296 in the Netherlands. The oral tablet, Rybelsus, lists at $936 in the U.S. but just $203 in the Netherlands.
These comparisons use list prices, not the net prices that account for insurer rebates and discounts. Still, even after factoring in those reductions, U.S. patients consistently pay several times more than their counterparts in other high-income countries.
Free Medication for Lower-Income Patients
Novo Nordisk runs a Patient Assistance Program for people who can’t afford semaglutide. If you’re uninsured and your household income falls at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, you can receive Ozempic at no cost. For Wegovy and Rybelsus, the income threshold is more generous at 400% of the federal poverty level. You must be a U.S. citizen or legal resident to qualify. The federal poverty level changes annually, so check the NeedyMeds website for current income thresholds based on your household size.