Costco will soon sell Ozempic and Wegovy at a large discount for people without insurance per CBS News.
On Friday (Oct 3), Novo Nordisk, the Danish pharmaceutical firm that makes the weight-loss drugs made the announcement. Ozempic and Wegovy which typically retail for around $1,300 and $1,600 respectively, per GoodRx, will now be available for a fraction of the cost.
A one-month supply of the drugs at the retailer will run $499, the same price they are listed for on Novo Nordisk’s direct-to-consumer website, as well as at CVS and Walmart.
However, Novo Nordisk states that consumers will still need a doctor’s prescription before ordering the drugs at the warehouse chain’s pharmacies.
According to the Washington Post, Americans spent an estimated $71.7 billion on GLP-1 drugs including Ozempic and Wegovy in 2023, a 500-percent increase compared to five years earlier, a research letter published in April found.
The drugs mimic a natural hormone to curb hunger and make people feel full for longer. Ozempic was approved in 2017 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Ozempic is not approved for weight loss, but some physicians prescribe it to be used for weight loss. However, Wegovy, a similiar medication, is approved for weight loss.
Many health insurers in the United States still do not cover the drugs, especially not fully. A 2024 survey from the KFF found that 54 percent of respondents who have taken GLP-1 drugs — including 53 percent of those with health insurance — said it was “somewhat” or “very difficult” to afford them.