It might be time to dust off that Costco card.
The wholesale giant has partnered with Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk to offer blockbuster weight-loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy at deep discounts for members without insurance.
“Everyone deserves care that’s simple, reliable and within reach — and we’re proud to lead the way in helping make that a reality,” Dave Moore, executive vice president of Novo Nordisk’s US operations, told Fox Business.
Starting Friday, Oct. 3rd, eligible members can grab a four-week supply of the injectable GLP-1s for $499 at more than 600 Costco pharmacies nationwide.
Costco Executive Members and Costco Citibank Visa cardholders can snag an extra 2% off their prescriptions, subject to applicable terms, a Novo Nordisk spokesperson told PEOPLE, subject to terms.
That’s notable, because many health plans don’t cover the pricey medications. Without insurance, a month’s supply runs about $1,000 for Ozempic and $1,350 for Wegovy, according to GoodRx.
To get in on the deal, shoppers need a valid prescription and must be enrolled in the Costco Member Prescription Program. For those with insurance, the price depends on their plan.
Ozempic and Wegovy both pack the same powerful punch: semaglutide, an active ingredient that mimics a hormone in the body to curb appetite and control blood sugar.
Ozempic is FDA-approved to treat type 2 diabetes, while Wegovy is specifically approved for weight management in adults and children 12 and older with obesity.
Both medications can help people lose weight, but studies suggest Wegovy may be more effective because it is given at higher doses.
Early research also hints that semaglutide could offer additional benefits, such curtailing substance abuse and aiding in the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.
But its not all smooth sailing. Patients have reported a wide-range of side effects while taking the drugs, with gastrointestinal issues like nausea, diarrhea and constipation among the most common.
Still, demand for GLP-1s has skyrocketed in recent years, leading to occasional shortages.
Those shortages — along with the drugs’ high price tags — have driven some consumers to seek counterfeit versions from compounded pharmacies, which come at a fraction of the cost.
Novo Nordisk and the FDA have pushed back on the practice, warning that the off-brand drugs haven’t been evaluated for safety or effectiveness.
“We want to make sure we offer the real and authentic Wegovy and Ozempic where patience seek care,” Moore told Today. “And we know that Costco is a trusted brand.”
Novo Nordisk already sells Ozempic and Wegovy for $499 through its direct-to-consumer website, and offers the same deal at CVS and Walmart,
Still, experts say even the reduced price tag may be too steep for many Americans.
“The people who have the greatest need for these medications are precisely the people who are in lower socioeconomic strata who have either poor insurance or no insurance, and don’t have the discretionary funds to be spending on medications,” Dr. Harlan Krumholz, cardiologist and professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine, told NBC News.
“If we really want to make the biggest difference on the health of the nation, we have to make sure that the people who would benefit the most have access to medications that are being shown to be beneficial,” he added.
The push to make GLP-1 treatments more affordable comes as the US faces a growing crisis of the waistline.
More than two in five American adults are classified as obese, along with about one in five children and teens nationwide.
Carrying that extra weight can not only affect quality of life but also significantly raise the risk of chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease and even certain cancers over time.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
