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Key takeaways
Without insurance, Zepbound costs about $1,507 for a month’s supply of injections.
Insurance coverage for Zepbound varies by plan and often involves an eligibility authorization process with your prescriber and the insurance plan.
Some weight loss drugs cost less than Zepbound and may or may not be covered by insurance.
Zepbound is a brand-name, prescription-only injectable medication FDA-approved to treat obesity or obstructive sleep apnea related to obesity. Zepbound’s active ingredient is tirzepatide, and it is classified as a dual GIP receptor agonist and GLP-1 receptor agonist (like Ozempic). The average retail list price for Zepbound is about $1,507 for four weekly pre-filled pens. There are no generic alternatives, and insurance coverage of Zepbound can be difficult to navigate.
How much does Zepbound cost without insurance?
Without insurance coverage, cash-paying customers can expect to pay $1,507 for four weekly injections. This comes out to about $375 per injectable dose. The yearly cost of Zepbound is over $19,000.
Unfortunately, there are no generic versions of Zepbound or similar drugs in the GLP-1 and GIP/GLP-1 classes. The only significantly lower-priced medications are other types of weight loss drugs, but these are usually used in the short term and have significant side effects.
One alternative is to switch from Zepbound injection pens to single-dose vials purchased directly from the manufacturer of Zepbound through Lilly’s self-pay program. This can reduce the monthly out-of-pocket cost to $500, but the downside is having to use a syringe and needle for the subcutaneous injection.
The lowest-cost option for getting Zepbound injection pens or any other GLP-1 drug from the pharmacy is to use a SingleCare coupon. With SingleCare, you can access a 28-day supply of Zepbound starting at about $950 at participating pharmacies.
How much does generic Zepbound cost?
There are currently no generic versions of Zepbound or any other drug in the GLP-1 receptor agonist class of drugs. A generic version of Zepbound will not be available in the United States until 2036 at the earliest.
Compare Zepbound prices to related drugs |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug name | Price without insurance | SingleCare price | Savings options |
| Zepbound
(tirzepatide) |
$1,507 per 4, 0.5 mL of 5 mg/0.5 mL single-dose pens | $950 per 4, 0.5 mL of 5 mg/0.5 mL single-dose pens of brand-name Zepbound | See latest prices |
| Mounjaro
(tirzepatide) |
$1,466 per 4, 0.5 mL of 5 mg/0.5 mL single-dose auto-injector pens | $875 per 4, 0.5 mL of 5 mg/0.5 mL single-dose auto-injector pens of brand-name Mounjaro | See latest prices |
| Wegovy
(semaglutide) |
$1,841 per 4, 0.75ML of 2.4 mg/0.75 mL single-dose pens | $1,225 per 4, 0.75ML of 2.4 mg/0.75 mL single-dose pens of brand-name Wegovy | See latest prices |
| Saxenda
(liraglutide) |
$1,819 per
5, 3 mL of 18 mg/3 mL multidose pens |
$1,215 per 5, 3 mL of 18 mg/3 mL multidose pens of brand-name Saxenda | See latest prices |
| Contrave
(bupropion-naltrexone) |
$837 per 120, 8-90 mg tablets | $613 per 120, 8-90 mg tablets of brand-name Contrave | See latest prices |
| Qsymia
(phentermine-topiramate) |
$311 per 30, 7.5-46 mg capsules | $79 per 30, 7.5-46 mg capsules of generic phentermine-topiramate | See latest prices |
| Phentermine | $50 per 30, 37.5 mg tablets | $10 per 30, 37.5 mg tablets of generic phentermine | See latest prices |
Prescription drug prices often change. These are the most accurate medication prices at the time of publishing. The listed price without insurance references the price of brand-name drugs (unless otherwise specified). The listed SingleCare price references the price of generic drugs if available. Click the link under “Savings options” to see the latest drug prices.
RELATED: Zepbound alternatives: What can I take instead of Zepbound?
Save up to 80% on Zepbound with SingleCare
Different pharmacies offer different prices for the same medication. SingleCare helps find the best price for you.
Zepbound costs by dose
Zepbound is available in six dosage strengths. People start on the lowest dose, 2.5 mg once weekly, and gradually increase to the most effective maintenance dose, 5, 10, or 15 mg once weekly. The retail price of Zepbound is always the same, no matter what dose is prescribed.
Is Zepbound covered by insurance?
Employer-provided or commercial health insurance plans do not usually cover Zepbound. When it is, it’s sometimes placed in a non-formulary tier, so getting reimbursement may be difficult. When an insurance company does cover Zepbound, it usually covers it in select premium insurance plans or only for sleep apnea treatment. These health plans typically require prior authorization before paying for a prescription.
Medicare plans do not cover weight loss medications. Medicaid coverage will vary by state.
RELATED: Does Aetna cover Zepbound?
How to get Zepbound covered by insurance
Patients will typically have Zepbound denied by their insurance provider, even when the plan covers it. For those without formulary coverage, talk to the prescriber about getting a formulary exception. The doctor will have to file a letter of medical necessity justifying the use of Zepbound.
If your health plan does cover Zepbound and it’s still denied, the prior authorization requirements for coverage have not been met. These requirements can be very complex for both weight loss and sleep apnea, so it helps to review them with a doctor or a pharmacist.
How to get Zepbound without insurance
Paying for Zepbound with inadequate or no insurance coverage presents significant financial challenges. Lilly, the maker of Zepbound, does offer some assistance options, but many people will not be able to meet the strict eligibility requirements. There are still options to lower the price and make Zepbound more affordable, starting with a SingleCare prescription discount card.
1. Use a SingleCare savings card
With a free coupon from SingleCare, the cash price of a 28-day supply of Zepbound can be as low as $950, no matter what the dose prescribed. The FAQs section on this page contains additional information that can save you money. While on this coupons page, sign up for SingleCare’s loyalty savings program to earn bonus savings on refills and other drugs.
2. Ask the prescriber about using Zepbound vials
For people willing to use a needle and syringe to manually draw and administer their doses, the manufacturer will sell Zepbound vials by mail order at a considerable discount compared to the injection pens.
3. Consider switching to Mounjaro
Mounjaro has the same active ingredient as Zepbound and is available in the same dosage strengths. If you have a concurrent diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, you may be able to use that medication instead. Not only does it have a slightly lower price, but more insurance companies cover it. However, you must still meet prior authorization requirements.
4. Shop for the best price
Another way to save money is to compare pharmacy prices. Currently, the lowest pharmacy price for Zepbound is about $140 less than the highest pharmacy price.
5. Ask your healthcare provider about other weight loss drugs
There are no generics for Zepbound or any drug in the same class of drugs. However, other oral medications are approved to treat obesity and aid in weight loss. These oral drugs tend to have lower out-of-pocket costs than the injectable Zepbound, but their results in clinical trials for weight loss generally have not been comparable to those for Zepbound. One option, phentermine, is generic and much more affordable, but phentermine may not be appropriate for everyone because of possible side effects.
- Zepbound, Drug Patent Watch
- Zepbound, Eli Lilly and Company
- Zepbound tirzepatide injection prescribing information, DailyMed (NIH National Library of Medicine)