Costco members can already access the drug online and have the option to pick it up in-store or have it shipped to their home for an additional cost.
WASHINGTON D.C., DC — Costco has begun offering medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy at significantly reduced prices through a partnership with healthcare company Novo Nordisk.
These medications are primarily used for weight loss but are frequently not covered by insurance. With the Member Prescription Program, Costco members can purchase a month’s supply of these medications for $499, provided they have a prescription.
Costco members are able to acquire the medication online and can choose to either pick it up in-store or have it delivered to their residence for an extra fee. According to NBC News, insurance is not necessary for purchasing these medications from Costco.
“Our partnership with Costco represents another advance by Novo Nordisk in making genuine Wegovy and Ozempic more accessible and affordable — directly at the places where consumers already shop,” stated David Moore, president of Novo Nordisk U.S, to PEOPLE.
According to Ozempic’s website, the medication is intended to “enhance blood sugar (glucose) levels in adults with type 2 diabetes” when used with diet and exercise, and also to “lower the chances of significant cardiovascular events like heart attack, stroke, or death in adults with type 2 diabetes who have known heart disease.”
Both medications include the primary ingredient Semaglutide but vary in dosage. Wegovy is specifically formulated for long-term weight management, while Ozempic is intended for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says a yearslong shortage of the name brand prescription medication, which was caused by it soaring in popularity globally due to the amount of weight people lose while taking the injections, ended earlier this year.
Many who take the drug are paying for it out of pocket, either partially or completely, but insurance coverage is slowly increasing.
Benefits consultant Mercer says more businesses with 500 or more employees are adding coverage of the injected drugs for their workers and family members.
But most state and federally funded Medicaid programs don’t cover the drugs for obesity and neither does Medicare, the federal program mainly for people age 65 and older.
Even the plans that cover the drugs often pay only a portion of the bill, exposing patients to hundreds of dollars in monthly costs, Dr. Beverly Tchang told the Associated Press.
A month supply of Wegovy not from Costco can cost up to $1,350 without insurance or discounts, according to GoodRx.
Novo Nordisk says Wegovy has about 200,000 weekly prescriptions in the U.S., where it brought in nearly $1.9 billion in first-quarter sales.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
