GLP-1 patient assistance: every cost-reduction pathway available in 2026
Two manufacturer programs give away GLP-1 free to income-qualifying uninsured patients, and a copay card takes insured patients to $25 a month. Below those sit 340B clinics, compounding and two free databases.
Two manufacturer programs give GLP-1 away for free. If you are uninsured and income-qualifying, Novo Nordisk's Patient Assistance Program covers Ozempic or Wegovy at no cost, and Lilly Cares covers Mounjaro or Zepbound. If you have commercial insurance, a copay card drops you to $25 a month. Most patients qualify for something. Almost nobody applies.
Some links here earn us a commission. Prices checked Monday, August 17, 2026.
Every path, and what it asks for
| Path | What you pay | What it asks for |
|---|---|---|
| Novo Nordisk PAP | Free Ozempic or Wegovy | Uninsured, income up to 400% of the federal poverty level (about $58,000 for a household of one), US citizen or permanent resident. Approval takes 2 to 6 weeks. |
| Lilly Cares | Free Mounjaro or Zepbound | Similar income and residency rules. Apply at lillycares.com. |
| Manufacturer copay card | As low as $25/mo | Commercial insurance only. Wegovy takes up to $200 off a fill ($1,800 a year cap). Zepbound takes up to $469 off if your plan excludes it, or $25 a month if it covers. No Medicare, Medicaid, VA or TRICARE. |
| NovoCare or LillyDirect direct | Wegovy $199 to $399/mo; Zepbound $299 to $449/mo | No insurance needed, just a telehealth prescription. Zepbound ships as vials or the KwikPen at the same price. |
| 340B clinic | Often 50 to 80% off retail | Care at a participating FQHC, usually under 200% of the poverty line. Find one in the HRSA 340B database. Longer waits, less dose flexibility. |
| Compounded semaglutide | $99 to $249/mo (tirzepatide $199 to $349) | A prescription. Not FDA-approved. 503A pharmacies compound under a personalized-formulation rule since the FDA ended the semaglutide shortage in February 2025. |
HSA and FSA money stretches further
GLP-1 prescribed for an FDA-approved indication (weight management, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular risk, obstructive sleep apnea, MASH) is an eligible HSA and FSA expense. Off-label uses like PCOS usually qualify too, but check with your plan administrator. Paying with pre-tax dollars works out to roughly a 25 to 37 percent discount, so on a high-deductible plan it often beats running a prior authorization.
State programs
Several states run their own pharmaceutical assistance for Medicare-eligible residents 65 and older at set income limits: New York's EPIC, New Jersey's PAAD and Senior Gold, Pennsylvania's PACE and PACENET. Search "[your state] pharmaceutical assistance" or the National Conference of State Legislatures database.
The realistic floor
If nothing above fits, the cheapest cash path in 2026 is about $99 a month for compounded oral semaglutide (Strut Health) or $178 a month flat for compounded injectable semaglutide (Mochi). Some patients stretch a $99 supply across two or three months by microdosing, which drops the effective cost to $33 to $50, but that is off-label and not something to try without clinical supervision.
Find every program you qualify for
Two free tools list them all. Patient Advocate Foundation (patientadvocate.org) assigns a case manager to help you work through the paperwork. NeedyMeds (needymeds.org) runs a searchable database of assistance programs and copay cards. Type in "semaglutide" or "tirzepatide" and read what each one asks for.
The cheapest cash route we verify is compounded semaglutide. See today's price and the full score on the Strut Health review page, or the ranked under-$150 list.
This week's best deals
Some visit links earn us a commission. Disclosure
Compare these programs
