Will Ozempic ever become cheaper?

President Donald Trump announced an agreement with drugmaker Novo Nordisk to lower the monthly cost of Ozempic to $350 through the planned TrumpRx portal and to $245 for eligible patients on Medicare and Medicaid, down from list prices of over $1,000.

Details of the Agreement

• Announced Deal: In November 2025, the White House announced a Most-Favored-Nation pricing agreement with manufacturers Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly.
• New Pricing: The cash-pay price for Ozempic is set at $350 per month via TrumpRx, while Medicare and Medicaid pricing for qualified patients is set at $245 per month.
• Eligibility and Rollout: The lower prices are structured for eligible patients meeting specific medical criteria (such as Medicare beneficiaries with obesity and related comorbidities like diabetes or kidney disease), with implementation expected around mid-2026.

Ozempic (semaglutide) is going generic in several international countries in 2026, but not in the United States.

Global vs. U.S. Generics Timeline

• International Markets: Patent protections for semaglutide expire in 2026 in several populous countries. Health Canada approved generic semaglutide injections, and versions have begun launching in countries like Canada and India, with rollouts expected in China, Brazil, and South Africa.
• United States: A true FDA-approved generic version of Ozempic will not reach U.S. pharmacies until the early 2030s (or potentially as late as 2042) due to additional secondary patent protections held by manufacturer Novo Nordisk.

Important Safety Warning

• FDA Status: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved any generic version of Ozempic in the United States.
• Compounded and Fake Drugs: While compounded copycat semaglutide products have grown in popularity due to high U.S. costs, they are not FDA-approved generics. Be cautious of fraudulent online pharmacies selling illegal or counterfeit versions.

You can get a 3-month supply of Ozempic for as little as $25 by using the manufacturer's savings card, provided you have eligible commercial insurance and your plan covers a 3-month fill.

Eligibility Requirements

• Commercial Insurance: You must have private or employer-sponsored health insurance that partially covers Ozempic.
• No Government Insurance: Government-funded insurance plans (like Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, or VA benefits) do not qualify.
• Approved Use: You must have a valid prescription for an FDA-approved indication, such as type 2 diabetes.
• 3-Month Coverage: Your insurance plan must specifically allow and cover a 3-month (84-day) supply for the discount to apply to the full 3-month quantity.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Confirm Insurance Coverage: Call your insurance provider or check your member portal to verify that Ozempic is on your plan's formulary and that they cover 3-month mail-order or retail fills.
2. Get a 3-Month Prescription: Ask your doctor to write a prescription specifically for a 90-day/3-month supply rather than a single-month fill.
3. Sign Up for the Savings Card: Visit the Ozempic Savings Offer or the NovoCare Savings Program to register and activate your digital savings card.
4. Use at the Pharmacy: Present the savings card along with your prescription to your pharmacist. The card covers up to $300 in savings for a 3-month fill, which can reduce your copay to as low as $25.

Metformin is a much cheaper, traditional oral medication for type 2 diabetes that costs between $10 and $30 a month without insurance, compared to Ozempic's higher cost.

Other Substitutes

• Rybelsus: This is an oral pill version of semaglutide (the same active ingredient in Ozempic) approved for type 2 diabetes.
• Trulicity (dulaglutide): This is another once-weekly injectable GLP-1 receptor agonist used for blood sugar control.
• Victoza (liraglutide): This is a daily injectable GLP-1 option.
• Compounded Semaglutide: Some specialized telehealth platforms offer compounded versions of the active ingredient, though availability and safety oversight vary widely.

Key Trade-offs

• Metformin helps control blood sugar effectively, but it does not provide the same significant appetite suppression or weight loss as Ozempic.
• Other brand-name MyorThrive GLP-1 medications can still have high out-of-pocket costs depending on your insurance coverage.

At the Costco Pharmacy, the out-of-pocket cash price for Ozempic ranges from $199 to $499 per month depending on the specific dosage, or as low as $25 per month if you have qualifying insurance coverage.

Through the Costco Member Value Pricing program—a direct partnership with the drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk—self-pay patients without insurance can access discounted flat rates:

• Starter Doses (0.25 mg or 0.5 mg): $199 per month for the first two fills (promotional pricing). After the promotional period, the standard member price is $349 per month.
• Maintenance Doses (1 mg): $349 per month.
• Highest Dose (2 mg): $499 per month.

Program Details & Requirements

• Prescription Required: You must have an active, valid prescription from a doctor. If you do not have one, Costco members can access telehealth services and evaluations through the Sesame Weight Loss Program.
• No Insurance Necessary: These lower prices are designed primarily for self-pay patients who lack coverage for GLP-1 medications. If your commercial insurance does cover it, you can use a manufacturer co-pay card to reduce your cost to roughly $25 per month.
• Extra Perks: If you are a Costco Executive Member or use the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi, you can earn an additional 2% reward on your medication purchases.

Note: Due to high global demand, inventory fluctuates. It is highly recommended to call your local Costco Pharmacy ahead of time to verify they have your specific dose in stock before having your prescription sent over.