How to Get Ozempic: Everything You Need to Know

• At a doctor’s office
• PlushCare | Skip to review
• Sesame | Skip to review
• Ro Body | Skip to review
• Noom Med | Skip to review
• Calibrate | Skip to review
• LifeMD Weight Care | Skip to review
• Everlywell Weight Care+ | Skip to review

Ozempic (semaglutide) is a prescription-only injectable medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat type 2 diabetes.

When used alongside a well-balanced diet and lifestyle, Ozempic can improve both short-term and long-term markers of blood sugar regulation, including fasting blood sugar and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c).

Although Ozempic is not specifically designed to induce weight loss, studies show that it is effective for promoting weight loss in people with diabetes. This is why the medication has become popular among people who want to lose excess body fat.

Even though Ozempic is not FDA approved for use as a weight loss medication, some healthcare professionals may prescribe it to people who are having difficulty losing weight through traditional methods such as diet and exercise.

This article explains how to get a prescription for Ozempic for weight loss. It also includes information about pricing and eligibility.

The best way to get Ozempic is through an in-person consultation with your trusted healthcare professional.

If you have diabetes, your doctor may prescribe Ozempic to help manage your blood sugar levels.

If you don’t have diabetes but are interested in taking Ozempic for weight loss, you may be able to get an off-label prescription for Ozempic from a healthcare professional, if they determine it’s safe and appropriate for your health needs.

With a personalized health screening and prescription

Ozempic is a prescription-only medication, meaning that you must make an appointment with a licensed healthcare professional, either online or in person, to get a prescription for it.

Once you have a prescription for Ozempic, you can get the medication from your local pharmacy or a reputable online pharmacy.

Through telehealth services from companies or programs

In addition to meeting with a healthcare professional, you may be able to get a prescription for Ozempic from certain online weight loss programs that offer virtual medical evaluations for Ozempic treatment from U.S.-licensed healthcare professionals.

However, not everyone is eligible for an Ozempic prescription for weight loss.

Whether your medical appointment is in person or online, a healthcare professional will evaluate your medical history and ask questions to determine whether Ozempic is the right choice for you or whether another weight loss intervention may be more appropriate.

In Person

Again, an in-person consultation with a healthcare professional is the best way to assess your health needs and determine whether Ozempic is right for you. If you’re unable to meet with your doctor in person or are interested in combining Ozempic with a structured weight loss program, there are some options worth considering.

PlushCare

• Price: for the weight loss program specifically (medication costs not included):
  • With insurance: $14.99 per month, plus your standard copay for each visit
  • Without insurance: $14.99 per month, plus $129 for the first visit, followed by $99 each month thereafter
• Insurance coverage: The program does accept most major insurance providers. However, GLP-1 medication coverage is not guaranteed.

In addition to virtual primary care and mental health appointments, PlushCare offers doctor-led weight loss programs that include Ozempic and other weight loss medication prescriptions for eligible individuals.

As part of the program, you’ll meet with and receive ongoing treatment monitoring from a board certified primary care physician. You’ll also be paired with a health coach, who you can chat with at any time using a smartphone app.

Unlike many other online weight loss programs that include medications, PlushCare is in network with most major insurance providers.

Just keep in mind that while most of the cost of the program might be covered by your insurance, you may still be responsible for paying for your weight loss medication, depending on your coverage.

Sesame

• Price: varies by healthcare professional
• Insurance coverage: Healthcare professional visits can’t be paid for using insurance, but they may be eligible for reimbursement. GLP-1 medications may be covered, depending on your insurance plan.

Sesame is a telehealth platform that offers a variety of services, including virtual and in-person visits, for a wide range of health concerns.

People interested in Ozempic for weight loss or diabetes can schedule an appointment with one of Sesame’s online weight loss specialists to see if the medication is right for you.

It’s important to note that you’ll have to pay out of pocket for your visit. However, depending on your insurance coverage, you may be eligible for reimbursement.

Medications prescribed by Sesame professionals and filled through local pharmacies can be paid for using insurance, depending on your insurance plan.

Ro Body Program

• Price: $99 for the first month, followed by $145 each month thereafter (medication costs not included)
• Insurance coverage: The program is not covered by insurance. However, GLP-1 medications may be covered, depending on your insurance plan.

Similar to Calibrate, the Ro Body Program is an online weight loss program that pairs one-on-one health coaching with GLP-1 medications.

If you’re interested in signing up, you’ll first complete an online questionnaire and an at-home testing kit to evaluate your metabolism. If your results show that you’re a good fit, you’ll be paired with a professional who will prescribe Ozempic or another GLP-1 medication.

In addition to regular follow-up with your professional, the program also provides one-on-one health coaching and weekly emails with tips on how to develop healthier habits to support long-term results.

Noom Med

• Price: $91 per month ($49 per month for Noom Med plus $42 per month for Noom Weight; medication costs not included)
• Insurance coverage: Neither Noom Med nor Noom Weight are currently covered by insurance. However, Noom Weight is provided through some employee benefit packages. Additionally, some insurance plans may cover some or all of the costs of GLP-1 medications.

Noom Med is a new offering from Noom that combines the company’s signature psychology-based weight loss program with GLP-1 medication for people unable to lose weight through lifestyle changes alone.

As with others on this list, Noom Med pairs each member with a healthcare professional, who then develops a personalized treatment plan that may include Ozempic or another prescription medication.

In addition to regular follow-ups with your healthcare professional, you’ll also have access to all of the tools available through the Noom app (now known as Noom Weight), including personalized daily lessons, food tracking, and personal coaching.

Just keep in mind that Noom Med is only available to current Noom Weight members, though the company says it plans on rolling it out as part of Noom for Work in the near future.

Calibrate

• Price: starts at $146 per month, or $1,749 up front for the year (medication costs not included)
• Insurance coverage: The program is not covered by insurance. However, GLP-1 medications may be covered, depending on your insurance plan.

Calibrate is a comprehensive online weight loss program that claims to support metabolic health and promote lasting weight loss through a combination of lifestyle modification and prescription medication.

The program provides education around food, sleep, exercise, and emotional health to help build habits to support long-term weight loss. You’ll also meet regularly with a personal coach.

For eligible members, Calibrate prescribes GLP-1 medications, which can include Ozempic, to assist your weight loss efforts.

LifeMD Weight Care

• Price: $129 per month, with a 50% discount for the first 3 months (medication costs not included)
• Insurance coverage: The program is not covered by insurance. However, GLP-1 medications may be covered, depending on your insurance plan.

LifeMD pairs you with a licensed healthcare professional, who uses lab results and a comprehensive personal and family medical history evaluation to determine the best weight loss plan for you.

Depending on your needs, your plan may include a combination of diet changes, lifestyle modifications, and a prescription for either Ozempic or Wegovy.

Everlywell Weight Care+

• Price: $99 with an initial 12-month commitment, or $139 per month with an initial 3-month commitment (medication and initial lab testing costs are not included)
• Insurance coverage: The program is not covered by insurance. However, lab testing and GLP-1 medications may be covered, depending on your insurance plan.

Everlywell Weight Care+ provides ongoing visits with a healthcare professional who may prescribe Ozempic or another GLP-1 medication for people who are eligible.

To get started, your professional will evaluate your medical history and order lab testing to assess whether GLP-1 medications are right for you. If you’re a good fit for the program, you’ll meet regularly with your professional to assess your progress and monitor your tolerance to the medication.

Additionally, every 3 months, you’ll get to choose from one of three at-home tests to assess your metabolic health or a 3-month supply of either an omega-3 fish oil supplement or a gummy multivitamin.

Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Ozempic. It’s classified as a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. This means it works by activating receptors for GLP-1, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels and appetite.

Ozempic is a weekly injection that works by increasing the production of the blood sugar-lowering hormone insulin, slowing digestion, and decreasing the production of glucose by the liver, all of which help lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.

What’s more, Ozempic slows digestion and increases feelings of fullness, which may help encourage weight loss.

Learn more about how Ozempic works and its potential side effects in this related article.

The current list price for one Ozempic pen is $935.77. Each pen holds a month’s worth of medication.

However, your out-of-pocket monthly cost for Ozempic will depend on your treatment plan, pharmacy, and insurance plan.

Is it covered by insurance?

If you’re prescribed Ozempic for managing diabetes, then your insurance will likely cover the cost in full, depending on your plan. However, if a healthcare professional prescribes Ozempic off-label for weight loss, insurance coverage isn’t guaranteed.

Ozempic is not FDA approved for weight loss, so it’s typically not covered by health insurance when used for that purpose. This means you’ll likely have to pay out of pocket if you’re using Ozempic to lose weight.

While you may be able to get some of the cost of Ozempic covered by submitting a request for coverage to your health insurance provider, most insurance companies do not cover off-label drugs.

Some companies, like Calibrate or Ro, will also contact your health insurance provider to determine whether your plan covers Ozempic or other GLP-1 agonist medications for the purpose of weight loss.

Discounts may be available

Certain websites and medical practices offer discounted rates for Ozempic, as well as special packages that allow you to prepay for several months’ worth of Ozempic injections at a heavily discounted rate.

Ozempic is not FDA approved for use as a weight loss drug, so it’s up to healthcare professionals to decide whether Ozempic is appropriate for supporting weight loss on an individual basis.

Most healthcare professionals will not prescribe Ozempic for weight loss unless a person has obesity — defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more — and has had difficulty losing weight in the past using traditional methods, such as following a lower calorie diet and being more active.

However, some healthcare professionals may also prescribe Ozempic to people with overweight if they have weight-related health conditions such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Who shouldn’t take Ozempic

It’s important to know that some people with obesity or overweight may not qualify for Ozempic because this medication isn’t safe or indicated for everyone.

For example, Ozempic may not be appropriate for people who:

• have a personal or family history of a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma
• are pregnant, nursing, or trying to become pregnant
• have a history of multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2
• have diabetic retinopathy
• have medical conditions affecting the kidneys or pancreas

Finally, keep in mind that Ozempic may interact with certain prescription medications. Before taking Ozempic, talk with a trusted healthcare professional about any other medications you’re already taking.

Who can prescribe Ozempic for weight loss?

Only licensed healthcare professionals, such as doctors and nurse practitioners, can prescribe Ozempic. You can’t buy Ozempic without a prescription.

Can I be prescribed Ozempic if I don’t have diabetes?

The FDA has approved Ozempic only for managing type 2 diabetes.

However, some healthcare professionals will prescribe Ozempic off-label to people without diabetes if they have obesity or overweight and the healthcare professional believes the prescription is appropriate and safe for them.

What are the main side effects of Ozempic?

The main side effects of Ozempic tend to be gastrointestinal. They may include diarrhea, nausea, upset stomach, constipation, and vomiting. In rare cases, more serious side effects have been reported, including low blood sugar levels, diabetic retinopathy, and inflammation of the pancreas or gallbladder.

Always consult a healthcare professional if you have any concerns about side effects while taking Ozempic.

Are there coupons available for Ozempic?

The manufacturer of Ozempic offers a savings card for people who have insurance coverage and are using Ozempic for diabetes treatment.

Coupons aren’t currently available to people who are using Ozempic only for weight loss. However, medical practices and online services that prescribe Ozempic for weight loss often offer special discounts to customers who purchase treatment plans that include Ozempic injections.

Is Ozempic available at Costco?

If you have a prescription for Ozempic, you may be able to purchase Ozempic from Costco. You don’t need to be a Costco member to fill prescriptions at a Costco pharmacy.

Ozempic is an injectable medication that requires a prescription from a licensed healthcare professional.

While it’s currently FDA approved only to treat diabetes, some healthcare professionals will prescribe Ozempic off-label for people without diabetes who have obesity or overweight and meet certain qualifications.

If you’re interested in using Ozempic for weight loss but don’t have diabetes, talk with a healthcare professional. If they believe that Ozempic may be safe and appropriate for your health needs, they may prescribe it to help with your weight loss efforts.