Skinny shots cost anywhere from $35 per injection for basic lipotropic formulas to over $1,300 per month for brand-name GLP-1 medications like Wegovy. The price depends entirely on which type of shot you’re getting, where you get it, and whether insurance covers any portion. Here’s what each option actually costs when you add everything up.
Two Types of Skinny Shots, Very Different Prices
The term “skinny shot” gets used for two completely different categories of injectable weight loss treatments, and the cost gap between them is enormous.
The first type is lipotropic injections, sometimes called MIC shots or lipo-B12 shots. These contain a mix of compounds meant to support fat metabolism, typically including methionine, inositol, choline, and vitamin B12. They’re offered at med spas, weight loss clinics, and some primary care offices. Estimates from patient reviews put them at $35 to $75 per shot, and most providers recommend weekly injections. That works out to roughly $140 to $300 per month. Some clinics bundle them into weight loss packages that include dietary counseling or other services, which changes the math.
The second type is GLP-1 receptor agonist injections, the prescription medications that have dominated weight loss news. These include Wegovy (semaglutide) and Zepbound (tirzepatide), both FDA-approved specifically for weight management. They work by mimicking a gut hormone that reduces appetite and slows digestion. These are dramatically more expensive.
Brand-Name GLP-1 Medication Prices
Wegovy carries an average U.S. list price of $1,349 for a monthly supply. Ozempic, which contains the same active ingredient but is technically approved for diabetes rather than weight loss, averages $936 per month. Some doctors prescribe Ozempic off-label for weight loss, and the lower price is one reason why.
Zepbound’s list price ranges from $499 to $1,086 for a 28-day supply, depending on the dose. Your dose increases over time as your body adjusts, so the cost climbs as you move through the dosing schedule. Eli Lilly also sells lower-cost single-dose vials directly through its LillyDirect program: $299 per month for the starting dose, $399 for the mid-range dose, and $449 for the higher doses (7.5 mg through 15 mg). These are significantly cheaper than pharmacy list prices, though you still need a prescription.
What Insurance Typically Covers
Private insurance coverage for weight loss medications varies wildly. Some employer plans cover GLP-1 drugs with a standard copay. Others exclude weight loss medications entirely, even if your BMI qualifies you medically. Prior authorization is almost always required, meaning your doctor has to submit paperwork proving you meet specific criteria before the insurer will approve coverage.
Medicare recently began covering GLP-1 medications for weight loss through what’s called the GLP-1 Bridge program. To qualify, you need a BMI of 35 or higher, or a BMI of 30 or higher with certain conditions like uncontrolled high blood pressure, heart failure, or chronic kidney disease. The threshold drops to a BMI of 27 if you have pre-diabetes, a history of heart attack or stroke, or peripheral artery disease. Your prescribing provider also has to confirm you’re following a structured nutrition and physical activity plan alongside the medication. This is a meaningful shift, since Medicare historically refused to cover drugs prescribed purely for weight loss.
Lipotropic injections are almost never covered by insurance. They’re considered elective and lack strong clinical evidence behind them, so you should expect to pay entirely out of pocket.
Telehealth Platforms and Subscription Costs
A growing number of telehealth companies now prescribe GLP-1 medications online, and their pricing structures vary. Most charge a monthly membership fee on top of the medication cost. Weight Watchers Clinic charges $74 per month with a year-long commitment. Mochi Health charges $79 for a single month. Hims & Hers runs $149 per month after a $39 introductory month. Ro’s weight loss membership costs $145 per month. A few platforms, like Remedy Meds, charge no membership fee at all.
These membership fees typically cover the virtual doctor visits, prescription management, and ongoing check-ins. The medication itself is a separate cost. Some platforms include the medication in the membership price, while others bill it separately through a pharmacy. Read the fine print carefully, because the advertised monthly price doesn’t always reflect your total out-of-pocket spending.
The Compounding Pharmacy Situation
During widespread shortages of Wegovy and Zepbound, compounding pharmacies were legally allowed to produce their own versions of semaglutide and tirzepatide at much lower prices, often $200 to $500 per month. Many telehealth platforms built their business models around these compounded versions. Now that the Zepbound and Mounjaro shortage has ended, pharmacies are no longer allowed to regularly compound tirzepatide injections. This has narrowed the affordable options for tirzepatide specifically, pushing more patients toward the brand-name product or Lilly’s direct-purchase vials.
Hidden Costs Beyond the Medication
The sticker price of the shot itself isn’t the full picture. Most weight loss programs require an initial consultation, which typically runs $100 to $300. Ongoing monthly visits for prescription management can add another $100 to $500 depending on the level of care, though telehealth memberships tend to land on the lower end of that range. Your provider will likely order blood work before starting you on a GLP-1 medication and periodically afterward. Lab costs depend on your insurance, but expect at least one round of testing upfront.
If you’re using a multi-dose vial (common with compounded medications or Lilly’s single-dose vials), you’ll need syringes and alcohol swabs. A supply kit with syringes and prep supplies runs about $25 and lasts roughly a month of weekly injections. Brand-name pens like Wegovy and Zepbound come with needles included, so this only applies to vial-based options.
Monthly Cost Summary by Option
- Lipotropic (MIC/B12) shots: $140 to $300 per month for weekly injections, no insurance coverage
- Zepbound through LillyDirect: $299 to $449 per month depending on dose, no insurance needed
- Zepbound at pharmacy (list price): $499 to $1,086 per month before insurance
- Ozempic at pharmacy (list price): approximately $936 per month before insurance
- Wegovy at pharmacy (list price): $1,349 per month before insurance
- Telehealth membership fees: $74 to $149 per month, added on top of medication costs
For most people paying out of pocket, Zepbound through Lilly’s direct program currently offers the lowest cost for an FDA-approved GLP-1 weight loss injection. If you’re looking for the cheapest option overall and aren’t set on a prescription medication, lipotropic shots at a local clinic remain the most affordable, though the clinical evidence supporting their effectiveness is far weaker than what exists for GLP-1 drugs.