Getting a Wegovy prescription starts with a medical evaluation to confirm you meet the eligibility criteria, followed by lab work and either an in-person or telehealth visit with a licensed provider. The process typically takes one to two appointments before you fill your first prescription.
Who Qualifies for Wegovy
The FDA approves Wegovy for adults with a BMI of 30 or higher (classified as obesity) or a BMI between 27 and 29.9 (overweight) if they also have at least one weight-related health condition. Those conditions include type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or obstructive sleep apnea. Teenagers aged 12 and older qualify if their BMI falls at or above the 95th percentile for their age and sex.
Wegovy is approved alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, not as a standalone treatment. Your provider will want to see that you’re willing to make lifestyle changes as part of the plan.
Where to Get the Prescription
Your primary care physician is the most straightforward starting point. They already know your medical history, current medications, and any conditions that might affect whether Wegovy is safe for you. If your PCP doesn’t prescribe weight management medications, they can refer you to an obesity medicine specialist or endocrinologist who does.
Telehealth platforms are another option and have become a popular route for weight loss prescriptions. Legitimate telehealth services are required to establish a real medical relationship before prescribing, which means collecting your full medical history, reviewing recent lab results (or ordering new ones), and conducting a live video consultation. Phone-only visits typically don’t meet the standard. The provider must also be licensed in the state where you’re physically located during the visit.
Be cautious of any online service that charges you for medication before a provider has actually reviewed your case. Bundling a consultation with a pre-paid medication “kit” before clinical approval is not a legitimate practice.
Lab Work You’ll Need First
Most providers require blood work completed within the past six months before writing a Wegovy prescription. If you don’t have recent results, expect to get labs drawn before or shortly after your first appointment. The core tests include:
- Hemoglobin A1c and fasting glucose: These establish your blood sugar baseline. A1c reflects your average blood sugar over the prior two to three months, while fasting glucose captures a single-point snapshot.
- Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP): This checks kidney function, liver enzymes, and electrolyte levels. Semaglutide has been associated with rare cases of kidney injury, so your provider needs to know your kidneys are functioning well before starting.
- Thyroid function (TSH): This screens for thyroid problems that could be contributing to weight gain or that might complicate treatment.
- Lipid panel: Measures cholesterol and triglycerides to document your cardiovascular risk before treatment.
- Complete blood count (CBC): Identifies any pre-existing anemia or blood abnormalities.
Some providers also order fasting insulin levels to assess insulin resistance, vitamin B12 (which can drop on this class of medication), and an inflammation marker called hsCRP. These aren’t universally required but give a more complete metabolic picture.
What Happens at Your Appointment
During your evaluation, the provider will confirm your BMI, review your lab results, and discuss your weight history. They’ll ask about previous weight loss attempts, eating patterns, and any medications you currently take. They’ll also screen for contraindications. People with a personal or family history of a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma, or a rare condition called multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, should not use Wegovy.
If everything checks out, your provider writes the prescription and sends it to a pharmacy. You’ll start on the lowest dose and work your way up over about four months.
The Dose Escalation Schedule
Wegovy uses a gradual dose increase to reduce nausea and other stomach-related side effects. You inject once weekly, and the schedule looks like this:
- Weeks 1 through 4: 0.25 mg
- Weeks 5 through 8: 0.5 mg
- Weeks 9 through 12: 1 mg
- Weeks 13 through 16: 1.7 mg
- Week 17 onward: 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg maintenance dose for adults, 2.4 mg for teens
Each dose increase means a new prescription strength, so you’ll be in regular contact with your provider during this period. If a particular step causes significant nausea or vomiting, your provider can hold you at that dose for an extra four weeks before moving up.
Navigating Insurance Coverage
Insurance coverage for Wegovy varies dramatically by plan, and this is often the biggest hurdle. Many commercial insurance plans require prior authorization before they’ll cover it. Some plans exclude weight loss medications entirely but may cover Wegovy for other approved uses, such as reducing cardiovascular risk in people with established heart disease.
Prior authorization typically requires your provider to submit documentation showing you meet BMI criteria, that you’ve attempted lifestyle modifications, and sometimes that you’ve tried other treatments first. The specifics depend on your insurer. UnitedHealthcare, for example, limits Wegovy coverage primarily to cardiovascular risk reduction and a liver condition called MASH, requiring patients to already be on heart medications and have documented test results. Other insurers have different rules, and some employer plans are more generous with weight management coverage.
Your provider’s office usually handles the prior authorization paperwork, but the process can take days to weeks. Ask your provider’s staff about their experience with your specific insurer so you know what to expect.
Reducing the Cost
Without insurance, Wegovy can cost over $1,000 per month. The manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, offers a savings program for both insured and uninsured patients. With eligible commercial insurance and the savings card, your out-of-pocket cost can drop to as little as $25 per month for a 28-day supply. The savings program is available through the manufacturer’s website, and your provider’s office may also have information about enrollment.
People on Medicare, Medicaid, or other government insurance programs are generally not eligible for manufacturer savings cards. If your insurance denies coverage, ask your provider about an appeal. Some patients also work with specialty pharmacies that can help identify alternative coverage pathways.
Supply and Pharmacy Tips
The FDA has declared the semaglutide injection shortage resolved, and all five Wegovy pen strengths (0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg, and 2.4 mg) are back in production. That said, you may still encounter occasional localized shortages as supply moves through distributors to individual pharmacies. If your pharmacy is temporarily out of stock, call nearby locations or ask about transferring your prescription. Specialty pharmacies that focus on injectable medications sometimes have more reliable inventory than large retail chains.