GLP-1 With Insurance or Medicare: The $25 and $50 Routes Explained
If you have insurance, the cheapest GLP-1 is usually brand-name and covered. With commercial coverage, manufacturer savings cards bring Wegovy, Zepbound and Foundayo to as little as $25 a month. With Medicare Part D, the new Medicare GLP-1 Bridge charges a $50 copay from July 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027 for people who qualify. Here is how each route works and what it costs, from the official pages.
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Quick answer
- Medicare Part D: the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge charges $50 a month for Wegovy (pen or pill), Zepbound KwikPen (not vials or single-dose pens) and Foundayo, July 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027, if you meet its BMI criteria. Your prescriber files a prior authorization.
- Commercial insurance that covers the drug: savings cards bring Zepbound, Wegovy and Foundayo to as little as $25 a month (caps and end dates apply; government beneficiaries excluded).
- Need a prescriber who bills insurance: Found’s insurance plans start at $99/mo on a 12-month prepaid plan ($199 month-to-month), plus visit copays of about $30; brand medication is billed through your insurance separately.
- No coverage at all: brand-name self-pay starts at $149 a month for the Wegovy pill or Foundayo; see our GLP-1 cost page.
GLP-1 routes with insurance or Medicare, cheapest first
| Seller | Product | Price | Status | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer savings cards (Lilly, Novo Nordisk) | Zepbound, Wegovy or Foundayo with commercial coverage | As little as $25/moseller's list price | FDA-approved brand | Your plan must cover the drug; savings caps apply (Zepbound: $100/month, $1,300/year, ends Dec 31, 2026). Government beneficiaries excluded |
| Medicare GLP-1 Bridge (CMS) | Wegovy (pen or pill), Zepbound KwikPen or Foundayo for eligible Part D enrollees | $50 copay a monthseller's list price | FDA-approved brand | Runs July 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027; prior authorization required; outside the Part D benefit |
| Ro (Body membership) | Prescription and insurance check for brand-name GLP-1s | $39 first month, then $74–$149/mo plus medicationseller's list price | Formulation set by prescriber | Brand-name only; insurance check included; $39 refunded if not eligible. Medication billed separately |
| Found | Insurance plan (clinician visits billed to insurance) | From $99/mo (12-month prepaid), $199 month-to-month, plus ~$30 visit copayssource | Formulation set by prescriber | Board-certified clinicians, care plan, coaching; branded GLP-1 medication billed separately. Insurance plans not available in California |
Sorted by the lowest published monthly cost. "Starting at" prices can change after a clinician sets your dose. Linked brands are affiliate or applied-for programs (rel="sponsored"); other sellers are listed as plain text for price context only.
The Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, explained
- What it is: a CMS demonstration that runs July 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027, outside the normal Part D benefit, so your Part D plan does not have to opt in.
- Cost: a $50 copay. Your prescriber submits a prior authorization. The $50 does not count toward your Part D deductible or out-of-pocket cap, and Extra Help does not lower it.
- Drugs: Wegovy (pen or pill), Zepbound KwikPen (not vials or single-dose pens) and Foundayo.
- Who qualifies: Medicare Part D (or Medicare Advantage with drug coverage), age 18+, and a BMI of 35+; or 30+ with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, uncontrolled high blood pressure or stage 3a+ kidney disease; or 27+ with prediabetes, a past heart attack or stroke, or symptomatic peripheral artery disease.
- Who does not: Not for people who already get a GLP-1 through their Part D plan, or who have type 2 diabetes, moderate-to-severe sleep apnea or fatty liver disease (their Part D plan may cover a GLP-1 instead).
- How to start: ask your prescriber to submit the Bridge prior authorization (CMS posts the form), then fill at a participating pharmacy. Check eligibility at Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE.
Commercial insurance: how the $25 cards work
- Zepbound savings card with commercial insurance that covers it: as little as $25 for a 1-, 2- or 3-month fill (savings capped at $100 a month and $1,300 a year; ends Dec 31, 2026). If your commercial plan does not cover Zepbound, the card brings the single-dose pen to as low as $499 and the KwikPen to the self-pay prices ($299 / $399 / $449).
- Wegovy savings offer with commercial insurance: as little as $25 a month (savings capped at $100 a month; government beneficiaries excluded).
- Foundayo savings card with commercial coverage: as little as $25 a month (government beneficiaries excluded).
Telehealth that works with insurance
Most GLP-1 telehealth is cash-pay. Found bills clinician visits to insurance in about 40 states (not California) and helps with prior authorizations; you pay its plan fee plus visit copays, and any covered brand medication through your pharmacy benefit. Ro’s Body membership checks your coverage and prescribes brand-name drugs only. If your own doctor will prescribe, that is usually the cheapest route of all.
FAQ
What is the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge?
A CMS demonstration that gives eligible Medicare Part D enrollees Wegovy, Zepbound KwikPen or Foundayo for a $50 monthly copay from July 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027. It needs a prior authorization from your prescriber and has BMI-based eligibility rules.
Does the $50 count toward my Part D out-of-pocket cap?
No. CMS says the Part D deductible does not apply, the $50 copay does not count toward your out-of-pocket (TrOOP) costs, and the low-income subsidy (Extra Help) does not lower it.
How do I get Zepbound or Wegovy for $25 with insurance?
Your commercial plan must cover the drug (prior authorization is common). Then the manufacturer savings card can lower your cost to as little as $25 a month, within its monthly and yearly caps. Government-insured patients cannot use these cards.
Which telehealth GLP-1 programs take insurance?
Found’s insurance plans start at $99 a month on a 12-month prepaid plan ($199 month-to-month), plus visit copays around $30, in about 40 states (not California). Ro’s Body membership includes an insurance check for brand-name drugs. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
Related
Sources
Prices and product facts come from each seller's own pages, read Oct 7, 2026. We link only to sellers we have an affiliate relationship with and to government and research sources; other sellers' prices are quoted as plain text.
- Found: Insurance plan (clinician visits billed to insurance)
- CMS: Medicare GLP-1 Bridge (FAQs)
- Medicare.gov: Weight loss drugs (Bridge eligibility)
Also read for prices (not linked; no affiliate relationship): lilly.com.