How Much Do Weight Loss Injections Cost?

Key Takeaways

An injectable weight loss medication can cost patients anywhere from $1,000 to $1,350 for a one-month supply if it is not covered by their health insurance plan.

Lifestyle interventions with diets and exercise are always recommended for weight loss. However, more than diets and exercise alone are needed for many people to achieve the targeted weight loss. In addition to lifestyle interventions, these FDA-approved weight loss medications can help you lose weight faster than diet or exercise alone.

However, just as with any new medications, without the availability of a generic version, these medications are only sold under brand names, which carry a much higher out-of-pocket cost, often running into thousands of dollars a month. In addition, insurance coverage for an injectable weight loss medication can be complicated.

Please continue reading to find out how much weight loss injections cost.

How much do weight loss injections cost?

While there is no doubts about the benefits these weight loss medications have to offer, beside the potential health risks, the following issues also arise:

Affordability: most of these newer weight loss drugs require prior authorization (PA). While prior authorization is generally completed by the doctor’s office to submit to the third-party insurance, this process can be rather time consuming for many people. Even with insurance coverage, their out-of-pocket costs can also be costly.
Accessibility: due to the overwhelming demand for these medications, drug shortages pose challenges not only to those who are qualified for a chronic weight management drug but also to many people who have started on weight loss medication but aren’t able to continue.

An injectable weight loss medication can cost patients anywhere from $1,000 to $1,350 for a one-month supply if it is not covered by their health insurance plan.

Below, we have provided a list of prices for injectable weight loss drugs. These are the original prices set by the pharmaceutical company for a medicine before any discounts.

Your actual out-of-pocket cost for these drugs depends on how much your insurance company pays.

Are weight loss injections covered by insurance?

Some private health insurance plans cover injectable weight loss drugs, while others do not.

Even if the weight loss medication is covered by certain health plans, they require prior authorization in many cases. While the prior authorization of a drug is submitted by the physician’s office personnel, the process can be time-consuming and complicated in many cases.

Medicaid may cover these medicines in some states. Medicare does not cover any weight loss drugs.

People with obesity should check with their insurance company to find out if their plan will cover Wegovy (semaglutide injections) or other similar drugs. Learn more about Wegovy’s uses and side effects.

Lower-cost generic versions of these drugs are not currently available.

Which injectable medications can help you lose weight?

Liraglutide (Saxenda), semaglutide (Wegovy), and tirzepatide (Zepbound) are some of the newer injectable weight loss medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Learn more about the injectable medications that currently have U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for chronic weight management in adults.

Active compound: Liraglutide

Brand names: Victoza (for type 2 diabetes) and Saxenda (for weight loss).

Manufacturer: Novo Nordisk.

FDA approval: Approved for diabetes in 2010 and weight loss in 2014.

How it works: This medication is a glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. It mimics the natural GLP-1 hormone in the body and increases insulin secretion by the pancreas, leading to a decrease in blood sugar. It also delays gastric emptying and increases feelings of fullness, which helps to regulate appetite and reduce food intake, leading to weight reduction.

Administration: Once daily subcutaneous injection (under the skin).

Common side effects: Headache, dizziness, tiredness, nausea, stomach pain, heartburn, constipation, urinary difficulties, stuffy or runny nose, and injection site reaction.

Effectiveness: Clinical trials have shown that you can lose approximately 9-13 lbs (4-6 kg) or 5-10% of your baseline body weight after taking liraglutide for 56 weeks.

Saxenda listed price: $1,349.

Active compound: Semaglutide

Trade names: Ozempic and Wegovy (for type 2 diabetes and weight loss, respectively).

Manufacturer: Novo Nordisk.

FDA approval: Approved for diabetes in 2017. Approved for weight loss in 2021.

How it works: This weight loss drug belongs to a group called GLP-1 receptor agonists. It delays the emptying of stomach contents into the intestine, thereby increasing feelings of fullness and decreasing appetite and caloric intake.

Administration: Once weekly injection under the skin of the upper arm, abdomen, or thigh.

Common side effects: Abdominal pain, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, Ozempic face due to significant weight loss in some people.

Effectiveness: Clinical studies have shown an average weight loss of -15% (35 lbs) after taking semaglutide for 68 weeks.

Wegovy list price: $1,349.

Active compound: Tirzepatide

Brand names: Mounjaro (for type 2 diabetes) and Zepbound (for weight loss).

Manufacturer: Eli Lilly.

FDA approval: In 2022 for diabetes treatment and 2023 for weight loss.

How it works: This drug acts on two hormones that are involved in blood sugar control. It activates both glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptors. Learn more about tirzepatide for weight loss.

Administration: Subcutaneous injection once a week.

Common side effects: Stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea.

Effectiveness: Clinical trials have shown that people taking tirzepatide for 88 weeks may experience weight loss up to -26% from their starting weight.

Zepbound list price: $1,060.

How much is Ozempic vs Mounjaro?

The listed price of Ozempic is $936. The listed price of Mounjaro is $1,069. Note that Ozempic and Mounjaro are not FDA-approved weight loss drugs. Their sister medications, Wegovy and Zepbound, respectively, contain the same active ingredients and are FDA-approved to treat obesity. Learn more about Ozempic for weight loss.

Who can take an injectable weight loss drug?

For adult patients, doctors prescribe an injectable weight loss drug if a person has been unsuccessful in losing weight with diet and exercise alone and they have:

A body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m² or higher.
A body mass index (BMI) of 27 kg/m²2 or higher and at least one weight-related condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol.

Some of these weight loss medications are approved for use in children as young as 6 years old if their initial BMI is at the 95^th percentile or greater, standardized for age and sex. Wegovy (semaglutide) is approved for use in children 12 years and older.

Being obese or overweight is a risk factor for diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attack, stroke, liver disease, and certain cancers. Weight loss injections can lower these serious risks by helping you shed excess pounds.

What is the best injectable for weight loss?

Among the currently available injectable medications for weight loss, Zepbound (active ingredient tirzepatide) has shown some of the best results. This medication, made by Eli Lilly, acts on two hormones and can lead to a weight loss of up to 26% from baseline weight in 88 weeks.

Another medication, retatrutide, is pending FDA approval and is in phase III clinical trials. It acts on three hormones, GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon, and may prove to be the most effective for weight management.

What are the risks of taking prescription medications for chronic weight management?

Injectable weight loss treatments work by mimicking a hormone called GLP-1 and decreasing appetite. They are taken as a once-daily or once-weekly injection and work as adjuncts to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. Learn more about how prescription weight loss medications work.

These medicines can cause serious side effects, including an increased risk of thyroid cancer, pancreatitis, kidney injury, gallbladder disease, and other health complications.

Talk with your doctor about the pros and cons of taking these medications. Make sure you understand insurance coverage and out-of-pocket expenses.

You can regain some of the weight lost if you discontinue taking injectable weight loss drugs due to costs or side effects.

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