What to Do If You Can’t Get a Mounjaro Coupon

Updated

Feb 5, 2024

Published

Nov 10, 2023

Take a closer look at how Mounjaro works and explore more affordable alternatives.

Mounjaro® (tirzepatide) is a new FDA-approved medication for the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes1 that’s gaining a reputation as a highly effective aid in weight management.2

Mounjaro also has a reputation for its high price tag. But for patients with commercial insurance coverage, a coupon is available that can provide significant savings on the list price for people diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes.

So what can you do if you need help with weight management but you don’t have diabetes, and you can’t afford the list price of Mounjaro?

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how Mounjaro works and explore a handful of more affordable alternatives that are worth considering.

What is Mounjaro?

Mounjaro is an injectable medication manufactured by Eli Lilly. It’s been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of people with Type 2 Diabetes. This means that the FDA has looked at all the evidence and has decided that it is a safe and effective diabetes medication.

Mounjaro has also been widely prescribed off-label for the treatment of obesity. Off-label prescribing is both legal and common, and it’s up to the discretion of your healthcare provider to decide if an off-label medication is appropriate for you. However, not all health insurance plans will cover the cost of an off-label medication — this might make treatment considerably more expensive.

The active ingredient in Mounjaro is tirzepatide which is a dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor co-agonist. Tirzepatide works by mimicking the actions of two hormones, GIP and GLP-1. These two hormones are released after food intake and work together to stimulate the production of insulin. They also slow stomach emptying and make you feel fuller for longer. So by mimicking these actions, tirzepatide aids the control of blood sugar levels and helps with weight management.

Dosage

Mounjaro is administered once weekly as an injection with a small needle under the skin.

The usual starting dose is 2.5mg once weekly, increased to 5mg once weekly after four weeks. If further control is needed, the dose can be increased in increments of 2.5mg every four weeks. The maximum dose is 15mg once a week.

Side Effects

The most common side effects are gastrointestinal effects, such as nausea, diarrhea and constipation.3 There are other possible adverse reactions, and if you’re experiencing any new symptoms after starting Mounjaro, you need to discuss this with a healthcare professional.

Contraindications

Mounjaro may not be safe for some people with certain conditions, such as a history of thyroid carcinoma. Mounjaro also isn't a suitable treatment for Type 1 Diabetes patients, and it isn’t approved for use in children under 18.

Your healthcare provider will be able to advise you on whether it’s a suitable treatment for you.

How Effective Is Mounjaro?

In addition to helping control blood sugar in patients with Type 2 Diabetes, there’s also strong evidence that Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a highly effective medication for weight management.4

A 2022 trial showed that tirzepatide, along with lifestyle interventions caused significant and sustained reductions in body weight over 72 weeks.5 Several other trials have had similar results showing tirzepatide to be highly effective in weight management.6

With this mounting body of evidence, Eli Lilly has sought FDA approval for the use of Tirzepatide in treating obesity.

Mounjaro cost information

The listed retail price of Mounjaro is $1,023.04 per fill. One fill contains four pre-filled pens, which will be enough to last you for one month. This means that a three-month supply will cost around $3,070. The amount that you end up paying will depend on your insurance coverage.

As a comparison, Henry Med’s average price for compounded tirzepatide is around $449 a month.

Is There a Shortage of Mounjaro?

Increased demand for Mounjaro led to shortages of the drug in 2023. This surge in demand followed the FDA's approval of Mounjaro as a treatment for Type 2 Diabetes at the end of 2022, combined with increasing demand for its use as a weight management treatment.

Is There a Generic For Mounjaro?

There's no currently approved generic version of Mounjaro, but there are alternative treatment options and compounded medications that work in a similar way — many of which Henry Meds offers through our treatment programs.

What Is a Mounjaro Coupon?

Eli Lilly's Mounjaro savings card offers significant savings on the monthly cost of Mounjaro. The current savings card expires at the end of 2023.

To be eligible for a savings card your insurance policy needs to cover Mounjaro, and you’ll need to meet certain eligibility requirements as well.

Eligibility Criteria

The Mounjaro savings card is only available if you:

live in the US or Puerto Rico
are over 18 years old.
have a Mounjaro prescription for Type 2 Diabetes.
have some form of commercial drug insurance coverage.
are not a beneficiary of a government-funded prescription program like Medicaid or Medicare

If you have commercial drug insurance that covers Mounjaro you'll pay the lowest price, which can be as low as $25 for a 30-day supply, a 60-day supply, or a 90-day supply.

If you have an insurance provider that doesn’t cover the cost of Mounjaro, you still might be able to save up to $575 on a one-month prescription.

Has the Mounjaro Coupon Changed?

For coupons issued before October ‘22, Eli Lilly didn’t require a diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes for patients to take Mounjaro. But due to changes to the program in June 2023, this is no longer the case.

Unfortunately this change has been disappointing for people using Mounjaro for weight management, as they can no longer afford Mounjaro.

So unless further changes are announced, people using Moujaro for weight management won’t meet the eligibility requirements for a savings card and will need to find other solutions.

What is a Compounded Medication?

Compounded drugs are custom-made medications made by specialist pharmacies to address specific patient needs. They're sometimes used in place of FDA-approved drugs when these are in short supply, helping to ensure that everyone has access to essential medications when they need them.

They're also the medication programs we offer here at Henry Meds, and fortunately, they cost much less than brand name medication.

Regulation of Compounded Medications

Compounded drugs aren't FDA approved, meaning the FDA doesn't verify their safety or effectiveness. However, their production is regulated in other ways, and reputable pharmacies that produce these medications are licensed and must adhere to strict guidelines.

Most of the regulatory oversight and licensing for compounding pharmacies is done at the state level. Each state has its own pharmacy board which licenses and provides oversight of all pharmacies in their state, including compounding pharmacies.

State boards make sure compounding pharmacies adhere to all state-specific rules and requirements to ensure compounded drugs are made under safe conditions and meet a consistent quality standard.

Compounding is also licensed by the state and federal government. This builds resilience into the US healthcare system and avoids shortages by ensuring that there is an adequate supply of vital prescription medications.

Such has recently been the case with Mounjaro and other weight management medications such as Ozempic® and Wegovy®.

To find out more about FDA approval and registered pharmacies, check out our guide What FDA-Approved Means and Why it Matters.

A More Personalized Approach to Medicine

Compounded drugs are specially formulated medications designed to cater to unique patient needs, providing a personalized approach to medicine. Unlike standard treatments, these are made to address specific requirements that generic medications might not cover.

For instance, compounding might involve the production of medications at lower doses, or doses between commercially available levels. They can also be made to cater for patients who are sensitive to certain ingredients.

The Compounding Process

Compounding is a regulated and an extremely complex process in which expert pharmacists and technicians blend specific ingredients in exact strengths. They must ensure that dosages are consistently accurate.

Because of the complexity of this process, compounding pharmacists undergo specialized training. They must have high levels of skill in creating these individualized medications, using state-of-the-art equipment.

Compounding can be either sterile or non-sterile. The production of sterile compounded medications, such as those that are injected, is even more complex and is subject to strict guidelines. It requires highly specialized equipment, and facilities. Staff must also be trained and licensed to work in sterile production environments,

The Benefits of Compounded Medications

Thanks to advanced processes and equipment, compounded drugs made in licensed pharmacies maintain a high level of consistency between batches.
Tailored doses mean patients receive the optimal strength for their needs.
Compounding pharmacies conform to rigorous safety protocols, making sure that their medications are of consistently high quality.
Compounded medications can often offer the same health benefits as brand-name drugs, but at a more affordable price.

The Legal Status of Compounded Medications

Compounded medications are legal when made by a licensed pharmacist in a licensed pharmacy
Compounded drugs are created based on legitimate prescriptions issued by a medical professional, which means that each formulation serves a real, identified need.
While the FDA provides overarching guidelines, state authorities play a large role in regulating the manufacture of compounded medications.
Production quantities are limited to ensure that personalized medicine‌ ‌remains a guiding principle, and prevents any misuse.

So, compounded medications offer tailored solutions where traditional medications might not be the perfect fit. They also address the need for essential medications when FDA-approved medications are in short supply, ensuring everyone gets the care they need at a price they can afford.

Are There Cheaper Alternatives to Mounjaro?

Yes. Henry Meds offers alternative programs with similar benefits to Mounjaro for a much lower price.

You don’t need health insurance, and all treatment programs are one monthly price. For some clients that require a stronger dose of medication, there’s an additional $100/month surcharge. We never charge a separate intake fee, and follow up appointments can be scheduled as needed. Any supplies you need are included, along with the cost of shipping.

Compounded Tirzepatide, Semaglutide and Liraglutide for Weight Management

Although there are slight differences in their mode of action, tirzepatide, semaglutide, and liraglutide all mimic natural hormones in your body to help lower blood sugar. They do this by encouraging the pancreas to release more insulin after eating, and by slowing down gastric emptying. This combination of actions helps keep blood sugar levels in check.

As well as their proven effectiveness in the treatment of adults with Type 2 Diabetes, all these medications have the added benefits of making you feel fuller for longer, helping with appetite control, and being very effective in weight management.

Tirzepatide

Tirzepatide is the generic name for the once-weekly injection Mounjaro.

Semaglutide

Semaglutide is a once-a-week injectable GLP-1 receptor agonist. It's manufactured by Novo Nordisk® and marketed under the brand name Ozempic® for Type-2 Diabetes, and as Wegovy® for weight loss.

Research from 2021 showed that semaglutide plus lifestyle interventions resulted in a significant and sustained reduction in body weight.7

To learn more about semaglutide, check out our article, This Breakthrough Medication Is Revolutionizing Weight Loss.

Liraglutide

Liraglutide is a once-daily injectable GLP-1 receptor agonist also manufactured by Novo Nordisk®. It’s marketed under the brand names Victoza® for Type 2 Diabetes treatment and Saxenda® for weight management. Liraglutide is well-tolerated, and has been shown to reduce body weight, even at lower doses.8

Patented Medication and Compounded Medication

These medications are currently patented to the drug companies that developed them. This means that usually, no one else can manufacture them until the patent expires.

However, in some circumstances, patented medications can legally be manufactured in licensed compounding pharmacies.

One of the main circumstances in which this is allowed, is when there are shortages of a medication. The FDA has a list of medications that are in short supply at any given time. For these medications, the FDA may allow licensed pharmacies to produce compounded medications to address the shortage. In this way, compounding pharmacies offer a vital service to the US healthcare system.

There are different reasons why certain medication may be in short supply. Tirzepatide, semaglutide, and liraglutide have all been on the FDA's drug shortages list in 2023, mostly due to high demand and ‌mounting evidence of their potential benefits.

Shortages of GLP-1 medications across the US mean that licensed pharmacies can legally produce compounded semaglutide, liraglutide and tirzepatide to address the shortfall. Compounded medications can also be legally produced when there’s a need to provide personalized formulations.

Compounded forms of these medications, like those on Henry Meds treatment programs, can provide an accessible and affordable alternative for people needing help with weight loss management. (Henry Meds is not affiliated with Novo Nordisk and doesn't offer branded medications such as Wegovy®, Saxenda®, and Ozempic®).