Overseas-registered Ozempic is available While the Australian-registered Ozempic is subsidised on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), the overseas-registered products currently are not.
This treatment will now be available to the approximately 40,000 individuals who accessed a comparable treatment for this chronic disease through the PBS in 2022. Patients would have to pay more than $1,700 for each Ozempic course without the subsidy. Now, each script will cost $41 or $6.60 if using a concession card.
Following the DA communication, health professionals have now been asked to prescribe and dispense Ozempic for only those adults living with type 2 diabetes.
If you have private or commercial insurance, such as insurance you receive through an employer, you may be eligible to pay as little as $25 for a 1-, 2-, or 3-month prescription (maximum savings of $150 per 1-month prescription, $300 per 2-month prescription, or $450 per 3-month prescription).
Due to the shortage of Ozempic, Australian GPs have been advised against prescribing it to treat obesity. However, semaglutide in the form of Wegovy is designed specifically for weight loss.
Medicare doesn't cover Ozempic (or Wegovy) for weight loss
Over 40% of U.S. adults age 60 and older are considered obese, according to 2017-2020 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite the prevalence of obesity among older adults, Medicare won't cover weight loss drugs, including Wegovy.
Possibly, if a doctor recommends it. Currently, Ozempic is only approved for use in people with type 2 diabetes. However, doctors may prescribe Ozempic off-label for weight loss.
Ozempic® is a prescription medication. Novo Nordisk provides patient assistance for those who qualify. Please call 1-866-310-7549 to learn more about Novo Nordisk assistance programs.
Metformin is a widely used first-line medication for treating type 2 diabetes and can also be considered a lower-cost alternative to semaglutide (Ozempic).
Is Ozempic available for those without diabetes? Ozempic is only approved by the FDA for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. People who don't have diabetes may be able to take Ozempic “off-label” with a prescription from their doctor. “Off-label” means for use other than what is approved by the FDA.
There has been a global shortage of Ozempic since early 2022 because of an unexpected increase in consumer demand because of off-label use of the drug for weight loss.
Saxenda is an approved weight loss medication, and is readily available in Australia. Cost is approximately $387 a month. The knock on effect from the Ozempic shortage, is that Trulicity which is manufactured by Ely-Lilly is now in short supply.
On the PBS, Ozempic costs Australians about $42 a month (four weekly injections). On a private prescription, the cost is about $132 a month.
If you qualify for insurance coverage, Ozempic can cost as little as $25 for a monthly supply. However, without insurance, Ozempic costs around $892.06 per month, on average (NovoCare-a, 2022).
Overseas-registered Ozempic is available
While the Australian-registered Ozempic is subsidised on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), the overseas-registered products currently are not.
A person can stay on Ozempic® so long as they are tolerating the medication and it is deemed appropriate by their treating provider. There is no specific time frame when someone should stop taking Ozempic as it is a medication that is intended for chronic (long-term) use.
Medicare doesn't cover Ozempic (or Wegovy) for weight loss
That means unless you have another source of coverage, you'd need to pay out of pocket for a semaglutide prescription for weight loss, whether it's branded Ozempic or Wegovy.
So, on average, with the recommended starting Ozempic dose of 0.25 mg, a 500 to 1000 calorie reduced diet, and exercise 3 times a week, you can expect to lose 3-5 pounds in the first month of treatment, which works out to about 3% of body weight for most overweight or obese individuals.
Mounjaro is a more effective drug than Ozempic. As demonstrated above, tirzepatide (the active ingredient in Mounjaro) leads to more clinically significant weight loss and blood sugar reductions than semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic).
To find out what Ozempic prescription assistance programs might be available to you, apply online or call Simplefill today at 1(877)386-0206. One of our advocates will contact you within 24 hours to conduct a telephone interview.
If you don't have diabetes, taking Ozempic for weight loss is considered an off-label use. Wegovy, a higher-dose version of Ozempic, is approved to help people manage their weight. This includes adults and adolescents ages 12 and older who meet certain body mass index (BMI) criteria.
Once you begin using Ozempic, some people can find it takes several weeks to see any weight loss, yet others may see some weight loss within a week or 2. While it can be difficult, try to remain patient — change looks different for everyone.