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Updated for the 2026–27 Medicare program

Find the cheapest way to get a GLP-1.

Answer a few questions and see whether Medicare’s $50 program, your insurance, or paying cash is likely cheapest for Wegovy, Foundayo, or Zepbound — then take a prior-auth checklist to your doctor.

Check my options — freeSee how it works
  • No account needed to see your answer
  • Rules checked August 19, 2026
  • Not affiliated with Medicare

Three ways people pay

The same prescription can cost $25 or $449.

Which one applies depends on your coverage type and what the doctor writes as the reason. Starting down the wrong one costs months.

Medicare’s $50 program

Runs through 2027 for weight management. Needs prior auth, and not everyone qualifies.

$50/month

Insurance + savings card

Often the cheapest when a commercial plan covers the drug. Government plans can’t use those cards.

~$25/month

Paying cash

Manufacturer pricing direct. Usually beats a $449 telehealth bundle that bakes in a visit.

$149–$299

The trap we see most

Type 2 diabetes, moderate-to-severe sleep apnea, and MASH generally belong on regular Part D — not the $50 program. Extra Help doesn’t reduce that $50, and it never counts toward your out-of-pocket total.

How it works

Three steps, one clear answer.

  1. 01

    Answer a few questions

    Insurance type, height and weight, and why the drug is being prescribed. About five minutes.

  2. 02

    See the likely cheapest path

    We compare it against published Medicare, savings-card, and cash rules — and tell you when the $50 program is the wrong fit.

  3. 03

    Take a checklist to the doctor

    One printout with what to document, what to ask, and the dates that matter. Your clinician still files it.

For families

Sorting this out for a parent? Bring one page to the appointment instead of a browser history.

Start a checklist

For clinics

Stop rewriting the same prior-auth note. Draft for a whole panel and track what’s been submitted.

See clinic tools

The $39 checklist

What your doctor actually needs.

Coverage gets denied over paperwork, not medicine. The checklist is built from your answers so nothing obvious gets missed.

  • Which reason must appear on the prescription, and why it changes the price
  • What the chart has to show, dated at the same visit
  • Which drug and device are actually covered on your path
  • Questions to settle before anyone files
  • What changes when the program ends December 2027
See what’s included

Read up

Guides to the confusing parts.

All guides

Questions

What this is, and what it isn’t.

Is the $50 Medicare program always the cheapest?
No. If a commercial plan covers the drug, a savings card is often closer to $25. And if the prescription is for type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, or MASH, it usually belongs on regular Part D instead.
Do you submit the prior authorization?
No. Only a licensed clinician can submit prior auth, and only Medicare or your plan can approve it. We prepare the paperwork your doctor needs.
What do I actually get for $39?
A printable checklist built from your answers: what the chart needs to show, the questions to settle at the visit, which device or dose is covered, and what changes before the program ends in 2027.
Do I have to pay to see my answer?
No. The recommendation and the reasoning are free. You only pay if you want the doctor-ready checklist.

VitalHound is educational software. It doesn’t diagnose or prescribe, and it isn’t Medicare, CMS, or an insurance company. More questions.

See what your cheapest option is

Answering the questions is free. If the doctor-ready checklist helps, it's $39 once.

Check my optionsSee pricing