Every GLP-1 sold for weight loss in the US uses the same two-line test, straight from the FDA labels: a BMI of 30 or higher, or 27 or higher with at least one weight-related condition like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, sleep apnea or heart disease. That's it. Zepbound, Wegovy (pen and pill) and Foundayo all use it.

Most online checkers stop there and drop you into a telehealth checkout. But the harder question in America isn't whether you qualify. It's who pays. So here's where things actually stand, as of July 2026.

Coverage varies wildly from plan to plan. Many still exclude weight loss drugs outright, and the plans that do cover them almost always want prior authorization first, where your clinician documents your BMI and conditions. Some add step therapy on top. If your plan does cover the drug, a manufacturer savings card does the heavy lifting: Wegovy as low as $0 a month, Zepbound and Foundayo as low as $25.

Medicare Part D has excluded weight loss drugs by law for decades. From July 1, 2026 through December 31, 2027, the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge changes that: eligible Part D enrollees pay a flat $50 a month for Wegovy (injection or pill), Foundayo, or the Zepbound KwikPen. Two catches: savings cards legally can't be used with government programs, and the $50 copays don't count toward your Part D deductible or out-of-pocket cap. Medicaid coverage for obesity is still a state-by-state patchwork.

This is where 2026 got interesting. The manufacturers now sell direct: LillyDirect has Zepbound at $299 to $449 a month (refill within 45 days each time or higher doses revert to standard rates) and Foundayo at $149 to $349. NovoCare Pharmacy has the Wegovy injection at $349 a month for standard doses ($399 for the top 7.2 mg dose, $199 intro on starter doses), and the Wegovy pill at $149 to $299. Nobody needs to pay the $1,000-plus list prices anymore.

Ro, LifeMD, Noom Med and WeightWatchers Clinic all prescribe the branded medications now, at the manufacturers' cash prices plus their own visit or subscription fee. One name you won't see there is Hims & Hers: Novo Nordisk ended that deal in June 2025 and is now suing them over compounded copies. The FDA has been shutting mass compounding down since it declared the shortages resolved, so be wary of anything priced below the manufacturers' own numbers. What you're buying from telehealth is speed and convenience, not a lower drug price.

If you have insurance, your own doctor is often the best first stop. They know your history, the visit usually bills to your plan, and they're the one who files the prior authorization anyway. Bring your numbers from the checker above and ask directly: do I meet my plan's criteria, and what does it want documented?

Whichever route you take, the thing that makes the medication work is the boring part: eating enough protein, keeping muscle, and tracking your weight, doses and food so you can see what's happening. That's what Healthcount is for, and a free account takes about a minute.