What Does Tirzepatide Cost With and Without Insurance?

Tirzepatide is sold under the brand names Mounjaro® and Zepbound®. This diabetes and weight loss drug can come with a high price tag. So, how much does tirzepatide cost?

The cost of tirzepatide ranges from about $200 to $1,300 per month, depending on the type of tirzepatide you get and where you buy it from. 

Below, we’ll break down how much tirzepatide costs with and without insurance, how to save on medication costs, and more affordable options to consider.

Without insurance, tirzepatide is an expensive drug. The cost varies depending on which type of tirzepatide you’re prescribed, where you live, and where you get it from. 

To give you an idea of what to expect, here’s a breakdown of the cost of tirzepatide medications, including the list price given by the manufacturer Eli Lilly and the cost you might see in pharmacies and telehealth companies. 

Tirzepatide is a prescription medication, so you need to connect with a healthcare provider to get it. You may need to pay for medical appointments or consultations with healthcare providers to get a prescription.

Tirzepatide isn’t usually covered by insurance as a weight loss treatment. But it depends on your insurance provider, plan, and health circumstances. 

For example, Mounjaro is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels.

It’s prescribed off-label for weight loss — this is when a healthcare provider prescribes a drug for something it isn’t FDA-approved for. 

So, if you don’t need Mounjaro for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, your insurance provider probably won’t cover the cost of the drug.

What about Zepbound? Zepbound is FDA-approved for weight loss in those who qualify..

It’s FDA-approved for those with a body mass index (BMI) of: 

• 30 or more (obesity)

• 27 or higher (overweight) and at least one weight-related health condition like heart disease, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure (hypertension)

Even if you meet these requirements, it’s unlikely that your insurance provider will cover tirzepatide for weight loss. 

Some providers see weight loss as a cosmetic issue, despite the many proven health benefits if you have overweight or obesity. Others are waiting for more research to come out, as the drug is still relatively new. 

In short, it really does depend on your plan and provider. 

If your insurance plan covers it, tirzepatide could cost you $0 or several hundred dollars. It depends on the type of tirzepatide you get and your specific plan.

Your insurer may cover the total tirzepatide price — lucky you! — or you may have to pay a copay or deductible and foot some of the bill yourself. 

Currently, Medicaid doesn’t cover Zepbound. Keep an eye on Zepbound’s website and your state’s Medicaid website to see if this changes.

If you have Medicare, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to get tirzepatide covered for weight loss.

Does the cost of tirzepatide make you — and your wallet — want to cry? We’ve got you. There are ways you can reduce the cost of tirzepatide medication if it’s something you’re considering. 

You can:

• Look for coupons and discounts

• Buy a 90-day supply (it can work out cheaper than a one-month supply) 

• Consider compounded tirzepatide

• Sign up for manufacturer savings programs  

Read on for more info on those last two ways to save. 

Compounded Tirzepatide 

Since 2022, there have been shortages of Mounjaro and Zepbound. This means it’s legal for compounding pharmacies to make compounded tirzepatide. 

Compounded tirzepatide has the same active ingredient as Mounjaro and Zepbound, but it’s not the exact same FDA-approved drug.

While legal, compounded tirzepatide isn’t FDA-approved, so there’s no guarantee it’s safe or effective.

This is why it’s so vital to get compounded drugs from reputable companies that use licensed U.S. facilities — and to always get them with a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider.

The upside here is that the tirzepatide compound price is much more affordable than Mounjaro and Zepbound — and much more available too. 

Hers offers access to compounded GLP-1s like tirzepatide starting at just $199 a month. The compounded GLP-1s available on our platform come from U.S. FDA-regulated facilities. They’re made with ingredients from FDA-regulated suppliers.

Eli Lilly’s Savings Programs for Tirzepatide

Eli Lilly offers payment assistance programs for some customers to lower the cost of tirzepatide. But these programs typically only support people who already have insurance coverage for tirzepatide (which, as we’ve established, isn’t common).

If you’re eligible and have commercial insurance that covers Mounjaro, you could save up to:

• $150 per one-month prescription

• $300 per two-month prescription 

• $450 per three-month prescription

Depending on your insurance policy, you could pay as little as $25 per prescription. You can use this discount on up to 13 prescription fills a year.

If you have commercial insurance that doesn’t cover Mounjaro, you could save up to $573 per one-month prescription. You can only use this discount on up to six prescription fills per year, though, so you’ll have to pay a higher price beyond that.

There’s no guarantee that these savings will last, though. You may end up taking tirzepatide long-term for weight management, so it’s crucial to be aware that your medication costs could go up.

Eli Lilly also offers savings programs for Zepbound. 

If you have commercial insurance that covers Zepbound, you could save up to:

• $150 per one-month prescription

• $300 per two-month prescription 

• $450 per three-month prescription

Again, this means you could pay as little as $25 per prescription, and the discount is good for 13 prescription fills a year.

If you have commercial insurance that doesn’t cover Zepbound, you could save up to $563 per one-month prescription. You could pay as low as $550 per month, and you can use this savings card for 13 prescription fills a year.

It’s unclear how long these discounts will continue.

Tirzepatide isn’t the only weight loss medication on the market. There are other options, which can be more affordable.

Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus

Semaglutide is another injectable medication that can help with weight loss. It’s sold under the brand names Ozempic®, Wegovy®, and Rybelsus®.

These medications are also pricey. But you may find they work out slightly cheaper than tirzepatide, depending on where you live and where you get your prescription filled.

Here’s a rough rundown of the figures. 

Curious how semaglutide compares to tirzepatide for weight loss? See our guide to Mounjaro versus Ozempic.

Compounded Semaglutide 

Compounded semaglutide is also an option. It’s more readily available and more affordable than brand-name Ozempic and Wegovy.

Just like compounded tirzepatide, if you’re considering compounded semaglutide, make sure you’re getting it on prescription from a licensed healthcare provider and from a licensed facility in the U.S.

Other Weight Loss Medications 

Injectable weight loss drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide may be taking the world by storm, but they’re not your only options if you’re considering weight loss medications.

Other medications that may support weight loss include:

• Metformin

• Naltrexone

• Topiramate

• Bupropion

These medications are often more affordable than tirzepatide. 

For example, Hers offers weight loss programs starting at $79 a month. These include personalized weight loss medications as well as nutrition plans, behavior change tools, and expert guidance to help you reach your goals. 

The cost of tirzepatide injections depends on which type of tirzepatide you get and where you get it from.

Here’s what you need to know about tirzepatide weight loss prices:

• Tirzepatide can be pricey. Without health insurance, you might be looking at $1,000 to $1,300 a month. And keep in mind you may need to take tirzepatide for a long time, so it could really add up. 

• Insurance providers don’t often cover tirzepatide. Check your insurance plan to be sure, but providers don’t often cover tirzepatide for weight loss. If they do, there might be some requirements you need to meet or copays and deductibles, so you could still pay out-of-pocket costs.

• More affordable weight loss medications are available. Hers provides access to compounded GLP-1 medications from $199 a month. These medications are also more consistently available.

Now that you know what you could be paying for tirzepatide, the next step is to chat to a healthcare provider about weight management.

They can let you know if tirzepatide is the right weight loss treatment for you or if another medication — like semaglutide or metformin — could be a better choice.

To get started, take our free online assessment. You’ll get the personalized info you need to kick off your weight loss journey.