Weight Loss
14 min read
Written by Klarity Editorial Team
Published: May 17, 2024
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Sheelu Bhatnagar
Ozempic (semaglutide) is a prescription drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat low blood sugar and reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke in people with type 2 diabetes. It’s also used off-label for weight loss.
If you’re wondering who can prescribe Ozempic for weight loss, in this article, we discuss Ozempic, how it works, who can prescribe it, who can take it, and what to try if it’s not right for you.
If you’re struggling with your weight, find a weight loss provider on Klarity today and have an appointment in as little as 24 hours.
Several different licensed healthcare providers can prescribe Ozempic for weight loss. The list includes:
It’s important to make sure your healthcare provider is licensed in your state and has a clean disciplinary record. The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) maintains a database of board-certified healthcare providers in the U.S. They also sponsor the Certification Matters website. You can use the site to search licensing and credential information for more than 985,000 providers.
To verify your provider has a clean disciplinary record, also search the Federation of State Medical Board’s (FSMB) DocInfo website. Look for the Actions section on the provider’s profile. This section shows “No Actions Found” if the provider has a clean record.
Ozempic is approved to help people with type 2 diabetes control blood sugar. It can also lower A1C levels and help with weight loss. In clinical trials, people with type 2 diabetes taking Ozempic for blood sugar control lost up to 13.9% of their starting body weight. Taking Ozempic for weight loss alone is an off-label use, meaning using it for a purpose it’s not FDA-approved for.
If your main goal is to lose weight, your provider may have you take Wegovy (semaglutide) instead. Wegovy is FDA-approved specifically for chronic weight management and weight loss. Both Ozempic and Wegovy should be used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
Ozempic and Wegovy are both injectable medications made with the same active ingredient, semaglutide. Ozempic was approved by the FDA first in 2017. When users found they lost weight, Novo Nordisk got Wegovy FDA-approved for weight loss in 2021. The table below compares Ozempic vs Wegovy to give you an idea of their differences.
Ozempic | Wegovy | |
FDA-approved use | To lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. To reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke in adults with type 2 diabetes and heart disease. | Weight loss in people who meet BMI and other criteria. To reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke in adults with cardiovascular disease and either obesity or overweight. |
Off-label uses | Weight loss in people without type 2 diabetes | Weight loss in people who don’t meet BMI requirements |
Who can prescribe it? | Licensed healthcare provider | Licensed healthcare provider |
Cost* | $1,029 for a 1-month supply | $1,430 for a 1-month supply |
Available doses | 0.25 mg0.5 mg1.0 mg2.0 mg | 0.25 mg0.5 mg1.0 mg1.7 mg2.4 mg |
*Prices according to drugs.com at the time of publication
It’s possible to get a compounded form of Ozempic, which is compounded semaglutide. Compounded medications are custom-made by pharmacists using pharmaceutical-grade ingredients and can be tailored to meet individual patient needs.
You might choose compounded semaglutide over Ozempic for a variety of reasons, including cost, supply shortages, personal preference, and allergies to inactive ingredients in Ozempic.
Any licensed healthcare provider can prescribe compounded semaglutide if you meet the criteria and they feel you’ll benefit from the medication.
Once you have a prescription, you can fill it anywhere compounded medications are available. This includes compounding pharmacies, standard pharmacies with compounding capabilities, and hospitals or doctors’ offices that maintain a supply of compounded medications.
Following are some ideas to find a provider to assess whether Ozempic is right for you and, if it is, give you a prescription.
Healthcare provider marketplaces, like Klarity, make it easy to find a provider for a possible Ozempic prescription. These services are designed to connect you with online weight loss providers licensed in your state. You can even schedule in-person appointments if offered by the provider you choose.
Insurance companies maintain databases of in-network (covered) providers. If you have health insurance, search your plan’s list of in-network providers to find a licensed provider who can give you a prescription for Ozempic. Or call your plan’s customer service number and ask for a covered provider.
People you know and trust can be great resources when searching for a licensed healthcare provider. Talk to friends and family about their experiences with the providers they see and ask if they have any recommendations for you.
Ozempic (semaglutide) is a prescription drug that’s FDA-approved to lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes when used with diet and exercise. It’s also approved to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke in type 2 diabetics with existing heart disease.
Ozempic has helped people lose weight and has been used off-label as a weight-loss medication.
Any licensed healthcare provider can prescribe Ozempic for weight loss if you meet the criteria and they feel you’ll benefit from the medication. You can use Ozempic for weight loss if your provider prescribes it for you and you’re willing to pay the retail price, or if you have type 2 diabetes and need help improving blood sugar control (this is the on-label use).
If your primary goal is to lose weight, the weight loss injection Wegovy, might be a better option for you. Both Ozempic and Wegovy should be used as part of a medical weight loss program that includes a reduced-calorie diet and regular exercise.
Compounded semaglutide might be a preferable alternative to Ozempic or Wegovy if you want to save money on your prescription, among other reasons. Licensed healthcare providers can prescribe compounded semaglutide if you meet the approved criteria and think you’ll benefit from the drug.
To find a provider for an Ozempic prescription, search marketplace services like Klarity or your insurance plan’s list of in-network providers. You can also reach out to friends and family for recommendations.
If you’re considering Ozempic for weight loss, find a licensed weight-loss provider on Klarity. Your provider will assess your health and, if it’s right for you, give you a prescription for Ozempic or another medication. Find a provider on Klarity today to get started.
Asking your doctor for weight loss medication, like Ozempic, doesn’t have to be intimidating. Before your appointment, make a list of your concerns, weight loss goals, and treatments you’ve already tried. Ease into the conversation by asking what target weight range is healthy for you. If you weigh outside of this range and have type 2 diabetes, it’s appropriate to ask whether you’d benefit from Ozempic or another weight loss medication.
Any licensed healthcare professional can prescribe Ozempic for weight loss if you qualify for Ozempic — you have type 2 diabetes and need to lose weight — or they feel you’d benefit from it. These include primary care physicians (PCPs), general practitioners (GPs), endocrinologists (specialists in hormonal and metabolic disorders), bariatric physicians (specialists in obesity treatment), nurse practitioners (NPs), and physician assistants/associates (PAs). To find a provider who can help you with medically-supervised weight loss, search a healthcare provider marketplace services like Klarity.
Most health insurance companies don’t cover Ozempic for weight loss unless you have type 2 diabetes. Even if you meet the approved criteria for prescribing, you likely need to meet certain Ozempic prior authorization criteria to get insurance coverage.
To find out how much Ozempic costs with insurance, verify your insurance coverage and drug copay details. Call the customer service number on the back of your insurance ID card and ask whether Ozempic is covered by insurance.
Ozempic’s retail price is $1,029 for a 1-month supply. If you have health insurance that covers Ozempic, you’ll likely pay less. And you may be eligible to get Ozempic for $25 with the Ozempic Savings Card. Prescription drug discount websites, like GoodRx, SingleCareRx, Optum Perks, and drugs.com offer coupons that can save you anywhere from 3% to 80% off the retail price. Your pharmacy may also have access to coupons.
You can find Ozempic at any pharmacy that has it in stock. That may be difficult at times due to supply shortages. At the time of publication, the FDA’s drug shortages database doesn’t report a shortage of Ozempic, but similar medications like Wegovy have been limited in availability. To find Ozempic in stock, check with local pharmacies or try an online pharmacy.
Sources
Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding, Find a Compounder, https://a4pc.org/find-a-compounder/
American Board of Medical Specialties, Certification Matters, https://www.certificationmatters.org/
American Board of Medical Specialties, Verify Certification, https://www.abms.org/board-certification/verify-certification/
Drugs.com, Ozempic Prices, Coupons, and Patient Assistance Programs, https://www.drugs.com/price-guide/ozempic
Drugs.com, Wegovy Prices, Coupons, and Patient Assistance Programs, https://www.drugs.com/price-guide/wegovy
Federation of State Medical Boards, DocInfo, https://www.docinfo.org/?_ga=2.125552394.1265046147.1714146472-234767467.1714146472#!/search/query
HealthCare.gov, Getting regular medical care, https://www.healthcare.gov/using-marketplace-coverage/getting-medical-care/
Novo Nordisk, Ozempic Prescribing Information, https://www.ozempic.com/prescribing-information.html
Novo Nordisk, Wegovy Prescribing Information, https://www.novo-pi.com/wegovy.pdf
ProPublica, Your Doctor Might Have A Disciplinary Record. Here’s How to Find Out, Charles Ornstein, Annie Waldman, and Princess Ojiaku, Dec. 2019, https://projects.propublica.org/graphics/investigating-doctors
The New England Journal of Medicine, Tirzepatide versus Semaglutide Once Weekly in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes, Aug. 2021, https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2107519
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA Drug Shortages, https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/drugshortages/default.cfm
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Medications Containing Semaglutide Marketed for Type 2 Diabetes or Weight Loss, Jan. 2024, https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/medications-containing-semaglutide-marketed-type-2-diabetes-or-weight-loss
*Appointments are generally available within 24 hours. Prescriptions, particularly for controlled substances, may require an in-person evaluation depending on the state of residence and current federal regulations.
The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional with any questions or concerns you have regarding your health. Providers on Klarity Health are independent practitioners with clinical autonomy. Nothing in this article is intended to diagnose or treat any condition, including guaranteeing prescription medication of any kind or dosage.
If you’re having a mental health crisis or experiencing a psychiatric emergency, it’s crucial to seek immediate help from a mental healthcare professional, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, or therapist. You can also call your local emergency services, visit your nearest emergency room, or contact a crisis hotline, such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, by calling or texting 988 or dialing the Lifeline’s previous phone number, 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) in the U.S.
How we reviewed this article
This article went through rigorous fact-checking by a team of medical reviewers. Reviewers are trained medical professionals who ensure each article contains the most up-to-date information, and that medical details have been correctly interpreted by the author. Learn more about the editorial and medical review process and standards for the HelloKlarity site.
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