GLP-1 patient assistance programs: what Lilly Cares and Novo's PAP actually cover

Both makers run free-drug programs for people with low income and no insurance or Medicare, but neither covers its weight-loss GLP-1. Novo Nordisk's Patient Assistance Program supplies Ozempic injections free to uninsured patients at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, and lists no Wegovy and no pills. Lilly Cares lists Trulicity as its only GLP-1: no Mounjaro, no Zepbound, no Foundayo. For weight loss, the realistic low-cost routes are the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge at $50 a month and the cash market.

Julian CaraulaniFounder, PriceTracker GLP-1Last checked Oct 2

7 min read · published Oct 2

Key takeaways

1Novo's PAP: free Ozempic for eligible patients; no Wegovy, no Rybelsus, no GLP-1 pills.
2Lilly Cares: Trulicity is the only GLP-1 on its list. Mounjaro, Zepbound and Foundayo are not there.
3Both require no insurance or Medicare, US residency, and household income under a poverty-level cap.
4Commercial insurance disqualifies you from Novo's program outright.
5For weight loss, Medicare's GLP-1 Bridge ($50 a month) and cash prices are the routes that exist.

If you were hoping for free Wegovy or Zepbound, the answer from both companies' own lists is no. Their patient assistance programs are real and generous for the drugs they cover. The weight-loss GLP-1s are not among them.

What each program covers

Drug	Maker's free-drug program	On it?
Ozempic (injection)	Novo Nordisk PAP	Yes³
Wegovy (pen or pill)	Novo Nordisk PAP	No³
Rybelsus, Ozempic pill	Novo Nordisk PAP	No³
Trulicity	Lilly Cares	Yes⁶
Mounjaro	Lilly Cares	No⁶
Zepbound	Lilly Cares	No⁶
Foundayo	Lilly Cares	No⁶

Read on 2 October 2026 from each program's published list. The only GLP-1s either company gives away free are its diabetes injections: Ozempic from Novo, Trulicity from Lilly.

Worth knowing

Ozempic and Trulicity are approved for type 2 diabetes. A prescriber can write either off-label for weight, but these programs check that the prescription matches the program's rules, and using a diabetes drug for weight is a clinical decision, not a paperwork trick.

Novo Nordisk's Patient Assistance Program

Approved patients "may qualify to receive free medicine from Novo Nordisk", with no registration charge or monthly fee.¹ To be eligible in 2026 you must:¹

Be a US citizen or legal resident.
Have a qualifying household income.
Have Medicare or no insurance. Private or commercial insurance makes you ineligible.
Not be enrolled in, or qualify for, Medicaid, Medicare Extra Help or VA benefits.

The income cap depends on the drug and your coverage. For uninsured patients on Ozempic it is 200% of the federal poverty level; for Novo's other medicines it is 400%.² Two catches the page states plainly:

Medicare with drug coverage now rules you out for Ozempic. "Medicare beneficiaries with prescription drug coverage will no longer be eligible to receive Ozempic® through the Patient Assistance Program."²
You may need a Medicaid denial first. Uninsured applicants whose income is within their state's Medicaid limits must show a denial letter before enrolling.²

Lilly Cares

Lilly Cares is run by the Lilly Cares Foundation. You may be eligible if you are a permanent US resident (including Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands), are not on Medicaid, full Extra Help or VA benefits, and meet the income guidelines.⁴

Trulicity sits in Lilly's Group 1, for patients with no insurance or with Medicare Part D and a household adjusted gross income at or below 300% of the poverty level.⁴ In dollars, the 2026 Group 1 limits are:⁵

Household size	Income limit, 2026
1 person	$47,880
2 people	$64,920
3 people	$81,960
4 people	$99,000

Enrollment generally lasts 12 months, or to the end of the calendar year on Part D, and then you reapply.⁵ Lilly does not list Mounjaro, Zepbound or Foundayo in the program.⁶

If you need a GLP-1 for weight and cannot get it free

Three routes exist, from cheapest to dearest:

Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, $50 a month. Since 1 July 2026, Medicare covers Foundayo, Wegovy (pen or pill) and the Zepbound KwikPen for weight at a $50 monthly copayment. You are not eligible if you already get a GLP-1 through Part D, or if you have type 2 diabetes, moderate-to-severe sleep apnea or fatty liver disease.⁷ How the Bridge works.
The makers' cash prices. Lilly sells the Zepbound KwikPen or vial from $299 a month.⁸ Novo sells the Wegovy pill from $149 a month and the pen at $199 for a new patient's first two months, then $349.⁹ These are open to anyone with a prescription, insured or not.
Compounded GLP-1s through telehealth. Usually the cheapest number on the page, and not FDA-approved. The board below ranks every program we track by what you actually pay each month.

Applying, in practice

Your prescriber usually completes part of the application, so ask them before you start.
Have proof of household income ready: the programs set limits on household income, not your own.
If you are uninsured with income near your state's Medicaid limit, apply for Medicaid first; Novo asks for the denial letter.²
Reapply before your enrollment ends. Neither program renews automatically.⁵

Sources9

Novo Nordisk Patient Assistance Program (PAP), eligibility read Oct 2“Patients who are approved for the PAP may qualify to receive free medicine from Novo Nordisk. There is no registration charge or monthly fee for participating. ... To be eligible for this program in 2026, you must: Be a US citizen or legal resident · Have a total household income that qualifies. ... · Have Medicare or no insurance (Note: If you have private or commercial insurance, you are not eligible for the PAP) · Not be enrolled in or qualify for any other federal, state, or government program such as Medicaid, Medicare Low-Income Subsidy (LIS, or Extra Help Program), or Veterans Affairs (VA) Benefits” ↩
Novo Nordisk PAP, Ozempic and income rules read Oct 2“Most Medicare prescription plans cover Ozempic®. Medicare beneficiaries with prescription drug coverage will no longer be eligible to receive Ozempic® through the Patient Assistance Program. ... Uninsured patients will still have access to Ozempic® through the Patient Assistance Program; however, their total household income must be at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. ... For all other medications, total household income must be at or below 400% of the federal poverty level. Uninsured patients must provide proof of a Medicaid denial prior to enrollment in the PAP if the patient’s total household income meets their state's federal poverty limit thresholds.” ↩
Novo Nordisk PAP, available products list read Oct 2“GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: Ozempic® (semaglutide injection) 0.5 mg, 1 mg, or 2 mg ... Combination Product: Xultophy® 100/3.6 (insulin degludec and liraglutide injection) ... Insulins: Fiasp® ... Novolin® ... NovoLog® ... Tresiba®” ↩
Lilly Cares Foundation, how to apply and eligibility read Oct 2“You may be eligible for the Lilly Cares Program if: You are a permanent resident of the United States (inclusive of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands). ... You are not enrolled in Medicaid, full Low Income Subsidy (LIS, “Extra Help”) or Veterans (VA) Benefits ... You meet the household income guidelines for the Program. ... These income limits are 300% (Group 1 Medications), 400% (Group 2 Medications), and 500% (Group 3 & 4 Medications) of 2026 Federal Poverty Guidelines. ... Group 1 Medications: For patients who have no insurance or have Medicare Part D and have a household annual adjusted gross income ≤ 300% Federal Poverty Level (FPL). ... Trulicity® (dulaglutide) injection” ↩
Lilly Cares Foundation, Group 1 income limits (2026) read Oct 2“Group 1 Medications: 1 Person Household: $47,880 · 2 Person Household: $64,920 · 3 Person Household: $81,960 · 4 Person Household: $99,000 ... If your application is approved, your enrollment notification letter will tell you when your enrollment expires (generally in 12 months or at the end of the calendar year for those with Medicare Part D). ... At the end of the enrollment period, you must reapply to remain eligible in the Program.” ↩
Lilly Cares Foundation, available medications read Oct 2“Trulicity® (dulaglutide) injection” ↩
Medicare.gov, weight loss drugs (Medicare GLP-1 Bridge) read Oct 2“Starting July 1, 2026, Medicare covers these GLP-1 drugs: Foundayo® (tablet) · Wegovy® (injection or tablet) · Zepbound® (KwikPen® only. The program doesn’t cover single-dose Zepbound® vials or pens). ... $50 monthly copayment ... You aren't eligible if you: Already get GLP-1 drugs covered through your Medicare Part D plan. Have type 2 diabetes, moderate-to-severe sleep apnea, or fatty liver disease (but your Part D plan might cover your GLP-1s).” ↩
Eli Lilly, Zepbound coverage and savings read Oct 2“Self-pay, starting at $299 ... The $299 per month is for the Zepbound KwikPen or vial, not Zepbound single-dose Pen. ... Governmental beneficiaries excluded.” ↩
NovoCare Pharmacy, self-pay prices read Oct 2“Wegovy® pill Starting at $149 per month ... Wegovy® pen Starting at $199 per month ... Patients pay $149 for each month of 1.5 mg, $199 per month for 4 mg and $299 per month for 9 mg and 25 mg. ... Patients new to the Wegovy® Savings Offer and NovoCare® Pharmacy pay $199 for each month of 0.25 mg and 0.5 mg. Offer is for 2 monthly fills through December 31, 2026, then $349 per month” ↩

Common questions

Can I get Wegovy or Zepbound free through a patient assistance program?

Not through the manufacturers' programs as of 2 October 2026. Novo Nordisk's Patient Assistance Program lists Ozempic injections as its only GLP-1, and Lilly Cares lists Trulicity as its only GLP-1. Wegovy, Zepbound, Mounjaro, Foundayo and the GLP-1 pills are not on either list.

Who qualifies for free Ozempic from Novo Nordisk?

Uninsured US citizens or legal residents with total household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, who are not enrolled in or eligible for Medicaid, Medicare Extra Help or VA benefits. Medicare beneficiaries with prescription drug coverage are no longer eligible to receive Ozempic through the program, and commercial insurance disqualifies you.

What is the income limit for Lilly Cares?

It depends on the drug's group. Trulicity is a Group 1 medication, capped at 300% of the 2026 federal poverty guidelines: $47,880 for one person, $64,920 for two, $81,960 for three and $99,000 for four. You must have no insurance or Medicare Part D.

Does Lilly Cares cover Mounjaro?

No. Lilly Cares' published medication list includes Trulicity as its only GLP-1 receptor agonist. Mounjaro, Zepbound and Foundayo do not appear on it.

What is the cheapest way to get a GLP-1 for weight loss if I cannot get it free?

On Medicare, the GLP-1 Bridge covers Foundayo, Wegovy and the Zepbound KwikPen at $50 a month if you qualify. Otherwise, the makers sell direct for cash: Zepbound KwikPen or vial from $299 a month, the Wegovy pill from $149. Compounded GLP-1s through telehealth programs are often cheaper still but are not FDA-approved.