How to Get Zepbound: Eligibility

To get Zepbound you need a prescription for an approved use: weight loss and sleep apnea. Then use insurance, or self-pay from $299 a month (LillyDirect: LillyDirect vial or KwikPen 2.5 mg).

Prescription: RequiredFDA label (DailyMed)
Lowest self-pay: $299 a month
Telehealth from, all in: $373 a month
Shortage: Resolved

A quick look at Zepbound

How long the drug stays in your body

The half-life is 5 to 6 days. After 5.5 d, half remains, and after five half-lives (27.5 d), about 3% is left.

Weight reduction during the main trial

At 72 weeks, SURMOUNT-1 showed 20.9% of body weight, compared with 3.1% on placebo.

Costs across time

The maker's price page lists each monthly price in US dollars, including list prices and self-pay offers.

Sources: FDA label (DailyMed), Eli Lilly 1 2, cnbc.com.

Every legitimate route to Zepbound, ranked

Ways to get it, arranged by price with the lowest first
Route	Who it is for	What you pay
Your doctor, with insurance and the savings card	Commercial insurance that covers it	offers fills for as little as $25, and a fill of up to 3 months
LillyDirect: LillyDirect vial or KwikPen 2.5 mg	Anyone with a prescription, no insurance needed	$299 a month
TrumpRx listing (vial, starting)	Self-pay only	$299 a month
Walmart Pharmacy: LillyDirect self-pay (lowest dose)	Cash at the pharmacy counter	$299 a month
Telehealth: WeightWatchers Med+, Zepbound (self-pay)	Online visit, medicine shipped	$373 a month all in

Prices checked November 2026. Each price links to the page it comes from.

Sources: pricinginfo.lilly.com, zepbound.lilly.com, Eli Lilly, TrumpRx.

Who qualifies

Every GLP-1 medicine sold in the US needs a prescription. A prescriber writes that prescription for an approved use on the label:

It supports weight loss and long-term maintenance through diet and activity. This applies to adults with obesity and to overweight adults with a weight-related condition.
It treats moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity.

FDA label (DailyMed) is required

Telehealth options compared

Telehealth programs offering Zepbound
Program	Medicine option	Medicine price	Membership	All in
WeightWatchers Med+	Zepbound (self-pay)	$299 a month	$74 a month	$373 a month
Ro	Zepbound KwikPen, starting dose	$299 a month	$149 a month	$448 a month
Hims & Hers	Zepbound	$1,899 a month	$149 a month after first month	$2,048 a month

Every price comes from the pricing page of that program. We receive no income from any of them.

Sources: weightwatchers.com, ro.co, hims.com.

Current Shortage status

The Tirzepatide Shortage has ended. This was confirmed by the FDA on December 19, 2024.

The FDA shortage list first listed it on December 15, 2022
Shortage resolved: December 19, 2024
By February 18, 2025, state pharmacies were required to end compounded copies
Outsourcing facilities had to stop by March 19, 2025

Source: FDA.

Scam signals

Sellers that do not require a prescription are not licensed US pharmacies.
Brand pricing that falls well below the manufacturer's own price: the lowest self-pay cost for the brand is $299 a month.
Compounded drugs marketed under a brand name cannot be Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro or Zepbound, because the FDA does not approve compounded drugs.
Misleading claims that something matches the brand exactly drew 30 warning letters to telehealth companies.
The FDA has more than 730 adverse event reports involving compounded tirzepatide on file.
A monthly price with no drug included: one program faced action from the FTC over this; see the NextMed review.

Sources: pricinginfo.lilly.com, zepbound.lilly.com, Eli Lilly, TrumpRx.

Find it in your state

Hims & Hers: Not available in all 50 states
Noom Med: It is not offered throughout the 50 states
NovoCare Pharmacy delivery reaches all 50 states plus DC, Puerto Rico

The route is changed most by Medicaid rules. Medicaid rules have the greatest influence on your route. Across states, 10 Medicaid programs now cover GLP-1s for weight loss. Select your state to view its list of drugs and rules for prior authorization:

Sources: hims.com, noom.com, NovoCare.