How to Get Semaglutide Cheap—What You Should Know

Semaglutide is now a household name for its proven effectiveness in chronic Type 2 Diabetes treatment and weight management.¹ However, the downside of its excellent reputation is its prohibitive price.² This situation is far from ideal since patients take this medication for long-term health needs.

There are various ways to lower Semaglutide’s price. However, most of them have limited availability or are mere stopgaps that do not increase the medication’s accessibility long-term. Some of these methods can even be a risk to a patient’s life. 

This article compares the different Semaglutide price-lowering options and explains how the Henry Meds solution offers the best price.

What Is Semaglutide?

Semaglutide is a medication that belongs to the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist family. GLP-1 is a human hormone that prevents steep blood sugar level spikes by:¹

• Suppressing appetite

• Stimulating insulin secretion

• Inhibiting glucagon release

• Slowing down the digestive process

Semaglutide mimics GLP-1’s effects but remains in the body much longer. Clinical trials show that this medication is highly effective not only for blood sugar control but also for chronic weight management.¹

However, Semaglutide accessibility is currently a problem for the people who need it. First, it is a relatively new drug. Many new drugs are expensive due to factors like high development costs, great demand, patent monopolies, and pharmaceutical lobbying.³ Second, injectable semaglutide is currently in shortage, according to the FDA.⁴

People have tried different ways to solve the Semaglutide accessibility problem, but most of these methods fail at some point. Fortunately, Henry Meds is here to provide a long-term solution by partnering with compounding pharmacies to create Compounded Semaglutide.

How Much Is a 30-Day Supply of Semaglutide?

Semaglutide currently has three commercial forms. Their list prices are as follows:

• Ozempic:⁵ $935.77

• Rybelsus:⁶ $935.77

• Wegovy:⁷ $1,349.02

The expected weight loss from lifestyle changes alone is 5-10%.⁸ Studies show that people can reach that goal in 3-6 months when they combine Semaglutide treatment with lifestyle modifications.⁹ 

However, weight loss resistance is a complex, chronic condition. Research shows that Semaglutide works best if taken as an adjunct to lifestyle modifications for at least two years.¹⁰

How to Get Semaglutide Cheap 

Long-term treatment is feasible only if patients can afford it. The following are some ways to get semaglutide at a lower cost:

1. Pay for Semaglutide with Health Insurance

Weight-related healthcare spending reaches $676 billion yearly in the US.¹¹ Health insurance can unburden patients significantly by providing weight-loss medication coverage. However, only 10-16% of US health insurance plans cover weight-loss medications despite their proven efficacy.¹¹

Medicare, one of the largest American healthcare payers, may cover semaglutide as a Part D benefit when used for diabetes treatment. However, the law prohibits Medicare coverage of weight-loss medications.¹² Therefore, patients cannot use Medicare to pay for Semaglutide when they take it for weight management.

In short, only a handful of people enjoy the benefits of insurance coverage for weight-loss medications. 

2. Avail of Novo Nordisk-Sponsored Discounts for People with Insurance

Semaglutide manufacturer Novo Nordisk offers Wegovy®,¹³ Ozempic®,¹⁴ and Rybelsus®¹⁵ savings cards for people with health insurance. However, as previously mentioned, marketplace insurance coverage for weight loss medications is limited. Insurance eligibility rules further reduce the number of people who can benefit from these programs.

Individuals on Wegovy® are even less likely to take advantage of these discounts due to the ongoing shortage of this medication.⁴ Off-label drug use—as when Ozempic® is taken for weight loss—is usually not covered by insurance.¹⁶

Note that manufacturer-sponsored discount programs can cease at any time,¹⁷ which could negatively affect patients on chronic-use medications. 

3. Look into Novo Nordisk’s Free Medicine for People without Insurance

Novo Nordisk also has a patient assistance program in place for people without government or commercial insurance. The program gives away Semaglutide for free to qualified individuals. The following are the eligibility criteria:¹⁸

• Must be a US citizen or legal resident 

• Has a total household income at or below 400% of the federal poverty level

• Has Medicare or no insurance

• Not enrolled in Medicaid and similar government-sponsored healthcare programs

However, Novo Nordisk’s patient assistance program is more for people with diabetes. Wegovy®—the Semaglutide medication specifically made for weight management—is excluded from the list of products covered by the program.¹⁹

4. Use Medicaid to Pay for Semaglutide

Medicaid is another US-sponsored healthcare payer but for special groups and people with low incomes. The program provides health coverage for 72.5 million Americans, making it the country’s largest health insurance payer.²⁰

Medicaid covers weight-loss medications, so it has the potential to benefit many people. However, a recent study found that fewer than 20 Medicaid programs provide weight-loss drug coverage.²¹

5. Look for Prescription Discount Coupons Sponsored by Pharmacies and Online Healthcare Services

Pharmacies and online healthcare services may also give away prescription discount cards and coupons. They are widely available on the internet and can be used by people without a health insurance plan.¹⁷

Pharmacy-sponsored discounts are usually free of charge. However, people cannot combine them with health insurance to get higher discounts. Since insurance is out of the picture, people pay for their medicine out-of-pocket using these discount cards. The price reductions they provide may not be consistent or as high as expected because of medicine cost fluctuations.¹⁷ 

Online healthcare services offer free or paid prescription discount cards. Free discount cards have the same limitations as pharmacy-sponsored ones. Some services like GoodRx offer higher-tier prescription cards for a fee. Discounts can reach as high as 90%, but only if you avail of their other services, such as online doctor visits and home delivery.¹⁷

6. Tap into a Health Savings Account 

Health savings accounts (HSAs) are tax-exempt funds people can use for their healthcare expenses. If you have an HSA, you can use it to pay for your weight-loss medications²² as long as you have a medical prescription.²³

However, opening an HSA requires having a high-deductible health insurance plan. That means your overall out-of-pocket health costs may still be great even if you get Semaglutide at a discount.²⁴

7. Buy Semaglutide Medications in Bulk

Manufacturers may offer discounts when you purchase medications in large volumes. The Ozempic® savings card is an example, and it provides huge discounts for multiple fills.¹⁴ Pharmacies may also offer price cuts for 90-day supplies of Semaglutide, even to patients without health insurance.²⁵

However, bulk purchasing is not sustainable and not always advantageous. Some of its negative effects include worsening an ongoing drug shortage and possibly medication waste if the patient doesn't use up the medication before expiring.²⁶

8. Get Free Semaglutide Samples from Healthcare Providers

Pharmaceutical companies spend billions of dollars on giving free drug samples to healthcare providers to influence their prescribing habits.²⁷ If you ask your clinician, you could be the lucky recipient of free semaglutide samples. However, expect the current semaglutide shortage to affect this practice negatively.

9. Buy Brand-Name Semaglutide Online

Various social media sites and online pharmacies offer brand-name Semaglutide for much lower prices. People may fall victim to such irresistible offers, hoping to stretch their budgets for this long-term medication. However, many of these merchants are not US-licensed, so there’s a risk of buying a counterfeit product. Counterfeit semaglutide medications can be harmful, even life-threatening.²⁸

10. Buy Brand-Name Semaglutide Abroad

Semaglutide is sold at much cheaper prices outside the US.²⁹ Neighboring countries Mexico and Canada are two of the most common destinations Americans visit to buy the GLP-1 agonist.³⁰ Patients may find this pathway tempting because it allows them to buy bulk volumes cheaply, even without a medical prescription in some cases. 

However, going abroad to fill a healthcare need poses a physical danger to Americans, besides running the risk of buying a counterfeit.²⁹

11. Consider Low-Cost Weight-Loss Medications

Healthcare providers may prescribe cheaper weight-loss drugs if patients prefer. Most are non-GLP-1 agonists that have been around for some time, so they already have low-cost generic versions available. Examples are orlistat and the drug combination naltrexone-bupropion. However, studies show that semaglutide is superior to these products in terms of safety and effectiveness in weight management.³¹

Liraglutide is a GLP-1 medication that is also cheaper than semaglutide. However, besides its lower efficacy,³² the daily injections required by liraglutide treatment can make patients less compliant.³³

Drug therapy is recommended for individuals with a high BMI or weight-related health conditions who do not lose 5-10% excess weight in 3-6 months while attempting changes in their lifestyle.⁸ Strict adherence to the combination of a healthy diet, regular physical activity, and Semaglutide treatment has helped many patients do that. However, this prescription medication is quite pricey. Understandably, people want a sustainable way of getting the GLP-1 drug. 

There are many ways to get Semaglutide at a lower price, however, some, like health insurance and copay-requiring discount programs, are not available to everyone. Meanwhile, other measures either have strings attached, have limited periods of effectivity, or can put you in harm’s way. 

Henry Meds offers a better, more sustainable alternative. The Henry Meds platform connects you with duly licensed medical providers and works with FDA-approved compounding pharmacies. By receiving Compounded Semaglutide through the Henry Meds platform, patients are able to get this medication affordably, safely, conveniently, and if medically eligible. 

Why Should You Consider Compounded Semaglutide? 

Pharmaceutical compounding is the process of tailoring a medication according to individual needs.³⁴ The FDA allows pharmacies to compound the active ingredient of a drug when it is commercially unavailable.³⁵ Semaglutide is one such product, as it has been on the FDA’s Drug Shortages list for quite some time.

Research shows that many physicians have a positive view of pharmaceutical compounding. The advantages of this practice include the following:³⁶

• The active ingredients being compounded have proven efficacy.

• Compounding allows flexibility of dosage and route of administration. For example, patients who cannot swallow pills may have the medication in liquid form instead.

• Active ingredients with synergistic effects can be combined in one formulation.

• Compounding makes medications affordable to patients.

• Compounding ensures a steady supply of much-needed medications. Patients can treat a pressing health need readily rather than ignore it. Continuous drug supplies promote adherence and a greater chance of therapeutic success.³³

Provisions of the FD&C Act ensure that US compounding pharmacies provide only safe medications to Americans.³⁷ At Henry Meds, we guarantee that the compounding pharmacies in our network comply with the FD&C Act.

How Can Henry Meds Help You Reach Your Weight-Loss Goals? 

As previously mentioned, the Henry Meds platform connects you to a network of state-licensed medical providers, pharmacists, and compounding facilities.

To get Compounded Semaglutide from Henry Meds, visit the website, choose a program and a location, and select an appointment time. Then, you’ll share some basic information about your health status and confirm your email address in order to receive your telehealth appointment time and details.

After your online consultation, a provider will give you a Semaglutide prescription if you are medically eligible. One of the state-licensed pharmacies in our network will fill the prescription depending on your location. All you need to do afterward is wait to receive your medicine in the mail, with the cost of shipping included in the monthly price. 

The process is that easy, and you can do all these things from the comfort of your home.

A Sustainable, Safe, and Convenient Way to Get Semaglutide Cheap

Semaglutide is a highly effective and safe weight-loss medication. Unfortunately, the medication’s price and short supply prevent many people from obtaining it affordably and conveniently. 

There are a number of ways to improve Semaglutide’s accessibility. One of the ways is through compounding by a US-licensed pharmacist, which provides a sustainable, safe, and convenient way of getting this medication at this time. Henry Meds can help you in this respect, as the platform can connect you to licensed medical professionals and pharmacists.

If you’re ready to take the first step in your weight loss journey, let Henry Meds help. The signup process is easy and does not require health insurance. Don’t wait to get started on your new path to better health.

Disclaimer:

To help you trust the information we provide, every article written by Henry Meds relies on peer-reviewed studies and medically reviewed facts. We ensure that data, ideas, and figures cited are reliable, current, and accurate. Our team of medical reviewers aims to help you cut through the noise with clear and authoritative primary and secondary sources.

Nothing in this article is intended to be prescriptive or medical advice. Talk to your doctor before starting a new diet and exercise plan. The information presented is about our medically supervised weight management programs and is not an advertisement for a specific drug.

Please note: Henry Meds does not offer Ozempic® or Wegovy®, which are only available from the Novo Nordisk company. Compounded Semaglutide is a patient-specific medication created in a state Board of Pharmacy or FDA licensed compounding facility per a prescription from a licensed healthcare professional. Compounded drugs are required to exclusively use ingredients from FDA-licensed facilities, and test sterile compounds for potency, sterility, and purity. While compounded drugs are legal they do not undergo pre-market approval from the FDA as they are not made in large batches for the public, compounds are made based on specific orders from a medical professional. Because of that the dose, route of administration, safety, and efficacy may differ from commercially available, brand-name, drugs. Henry Meds exclusively works with licensed sterile compounding pharmacies in the United States.