If you’re considering Wegovy or other weight loss treatments and want to understand which ones are covered by health insurance, you’re in the right place. Read on for everything you need to know about getting Wegovy through your insurance provider.
Wegovy is a weight loss medication which belongs to a class of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists. It contains the active ingredient semaglutide.
Wegovy works by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone that our bodies naturally release when we eat. It is an effective weight loss treatment because it reduces appetite, delays stomach emptying, and regulates blood sugar levels. [1] In clinical trials, people taking Wegovy lost 15% of their body weight on average in just over a year, when combined with a healthy, reduced calorie diet and regular exercise. [2]
All of the weight loss treatments we recommend at Levity are backed by clinical trials and robust studies. Another popular weight loss treatment you might have heard of is Mounjaro. Its active ingredient, tirzepatide, works by mimicking the same GLP-1 hormone, as well as a second one called GIP.
In addition to the benefits of GLP-1, the GIP hormone may further support weight loss by helping the body burn fat more efficiently. Mounjaro has been shown in clinical trials to help people taking it lose an average of 20.9% of their body weight over 72 weeks. [3] You can read more about the differences between Wegovy and Mounjaro here.
Most GLP-1 treatments like Wegovy, Mounjaro and Ozempic are taken once a week. Another popular drug called Saxenda must be injected every day. That’s because its active ingredient – liraglutide – doesn't last as long in the body as others like semaglutide. [4]
It is only possible to get a medication using insurance if it has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for that specific purpose. Semaglutide – the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic – can be prescribed for weight loss, to treat type 2 diabetes and to help reduce the risk of serious cardiovascular events. [5] However, only Wegovy is FDA-approved for weight loss, so insurance coverage typically requires choosing this medication for that purpose.
Other branded medications, like Ozempic, are FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes, so insurance usually doesn’t cover them for weight loss. However, it is still possible to access GLP-1 drugs off-label – meaning they haven’t yet been FDA approved for that specific purpose.
At Levity, you can access Wegovy, Ozempic, Mounjaro and Compounded* Liraglutide with B12, without using your insurance.
Start your free consultation today to see what treatment is best for you.
*Compounded drugs are permitted to be prescribed under federal law but are not FDA-approved and do not undergo FDA review for safety, effectiveness, or quality.
References
1. Puckey M. Semaglutide: uses, dosage, Side effects, Brands [Internet]. Drugs.com. 2025. Available from: https://www.drugs.com/semaglutide.html
2. Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Calanna S. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine [Internet]. 2021 Feb 10;384(11):989–1002. Available from: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2032183
3. Jastreboff AM, Aronne LJ, Ahmad NN, Wharton S, Connery L, Alves B, et al. Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity. New England Journal of Medicine [Internet]. 2022 Jun 4;387(3). Available from: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2206038
4. Singh G, Krauthamer M, Bjalme-Evans M. Wegovy (semaglutide): a new weight loss drug for chronic weight management. Journal of Investigative Medicine [Internet]. 2023 May 25;70(1):jim-2021-001952. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8717485/
5. FDA. FDA Approves First Treatment to Reduce Risk of Serious Heart Problems Specifically in Adults with Obesity or Overweight [Internet]. FDA. 2024. Available from: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-treatment-reduce-risk-serious-heart-problems-specifically-adults-obesity-or
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