It seems like there is a subscription service for nearly every product these days. Now weight loss drugs are jumping on the subscription bandwagon, promising to save customers significant amounts of money. Here is a look at what you need to know about how you can access these savings.

Weight Loss Drugs More Affordable with New Subscription Program

The maker of the Wegovy weight loss drug announced this week that it is rolling out a subscription program designed to save self-pay patients money. The drug maker is promising that the program will offer "a lower, predictable monthly price." How much will the program save consumers? Wegovy maker Novo Nordisk said that patients using the Wegovy pill will save up to $600 per year, while those using the injection form of the drug will save up to $1,200 annually.

Novo Nordisk announced the program on Tuesday, March 31. According to Jamey Millar, executive vice president of U.S. operations, the program is already available to self-pay patients not using traditional insurance. Millar told NBC News that the goal of the subscription model is to encourage patients to stick with the therapy over time.

Dr. Jorge Moreno, a Yale Medicine obesity specialist, noted that about 20 - 25% of his patients pay for GLP-1 medication out of pocket without the help of insurance. One of the biggest challenges for patients looking to leverage the treatment is that the insurance coverage is so unpredictable. The drugs themselves have been cost-prohibitive to many; however, the costs are beginning to come down as they become mainstream.

Like Ozempic, Wegovy is a drug that contains semaglutide. This component mimics a hormone that the body generates after eating to signal a feeling of fullness. By producing the same general feelings as the hormone, people feel fuller faster, naturally reducing their appetite and leading to weight loss.

Details of the Wegovy Subscription Program

The Wegovy subscription program is available through WeightWatchers, LifeMD, and Ro. Novo Nordisk said other telehealth providers are expected to offer the subscription option in the near future.

Self-pay patients can choose from a three-month, six-month, or annual subscription to the drug. Users who already pay for specific telehealth services will see the greatest degree of savings. Other patients will need to purchase a membership fee in order to join the subscription program. This additional fee will bring down the overall savings.

Moreno questioned what options will be available to patients who decide to stop or pause the medication in the middle of a subscription. For example, Moreno wonders what will happen if the Wegovy medication is not working and the patient has already committed to the subscription. It is not unusual for patients to have side effects that make them decide that the drug is not for them.

Millar responded to the concerns by saying that every telehealth provider will be responsible for providing its own set of terms and conditions. The onus will be on the provider to determine if a patient is eligible for a refund. In other words, there is no defined off-ramp.

For reference, it costs a patient paying out of pocket $345 per month for a Wegovy pen and $299 for the pill form. While there are often limited-time offers for patients to purchase the drug at lower price points, these are the baseline costs.

Under the new subscription plan, patients will pay the same price for the pen regardless of the dosage amount. A three-month plan will cost $329 for a savings of $240 for the year. A six-month plan runs $299 per month, amounting to a savings of $600 annually. A 12-month subscription costs $249 per month, translating to a savings of $1,200 per year.

The subscription program for the pill covers both the 9 milligram and 25 milligram doses. Those opting for the lower doses currently pay less due to a limited-time offer from Novo Nordisk.

A three-month subscription to the pill costs $289 per month, amounting to a savings of $120 per year. A six-month plan costs patients $269 monthly, saving the consumer $360 annually. Lastly, a 12-month subscription will run you $249 per month, saving $600 over the course of the year.

Millar is offering hope that the costs will come down even more in the future, putting the drug in reach for those who are balking at the price now.

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