The Novo Nordisk Patient Assistance Program provides medicine at no cost to people who qualify[1]. There is no registration charge or monthly fee[1], and shipping is covered by the program[1]. For GLP-1 buyers, though, the answer turns on which products are on the list, and for 2026 that list is short.
Which GLP-1 drugs the program covers
The 2026 product list has one GLP-1 section, and it names only Ozempic pens: the pen that delivers 0.25 or 0.5 mg doses, the 1 mg pen and the 2 mg pen[2]. The list marks Ozempic as available to uninsured patients only[2]. The rest of the list is insulins, one insulin-liraglutide combination, a pen device and needles[2]. What Ozempic costs outside the program is in Ozempic cost.
No Wegovy product appears on that list[2]. The NovoCare page also warns that some medicines are no longer part of the program for 2026[1]. If Wegovy is what you were prescribed, the program is not a route to it, and the fallbacks further down are the ones that apply.
Who can apply
To qualify in 2026, you must be a US citizen or legal resident, have Medicare or no insurance, and meet the income limit[1]. Anyone with private or commercial insurance is not eligible[1].
You also cannot be enrolled in, or qualify for, Medicaid, Medicare’s Low-Income Subsidy (Extra Help) or VA benefits[1]. Uninsured applicants whose income meets their state’s Medicaid threshold must first send a Medicaid denial letter[1]. Medicare applicants below 150% of the poverty level must show an Extra Help denial[1].
The income limit, in dollars
For uninsured patients, household income must be at or below 200% of the federal poverty level for Ozempic, and at or below 400% for every other medicine on the list[1]. The NovoCare page points to the current federal guidelines rather than printing dollar figures[1], so the table applies its percentages to the 2026 HHS guidelines[3].
| Household size | Poverty guideline | Ozempic limit (200%) | Other PAP medicines (400%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $15,960 | $31,920 | $63,840 |
| 2 | $21,640 | $43,280 | $86,560 |
| 3 | $27,320 | $54,640 | $109,280 |
| 4 | $33,000 | $66,000 | $132,000 |
| 5 | $38,680 | $77,360 | $154,720 |
| 6 | $44,360 | $88,720 | $177,440 |
For each person beyond eight, HHS adds $5,680 to the guideline[3]. Applicants who did not file taxes, or whose income changed, send proof of income such as pay stubs instead[1].
How long approval lasts
Approved uninsured patients are enrolled for 12 months, and Medicare patients through the end of the calendar year[1]. Refills are not automatic: the program’s specialty pharmacy contacts you when one is due[1]. To stay on, you apply again, as early as 30 days before your enrollment ends[1].
If you were prescribed Wegovy
Novo Nordisk’s own routes for Wegovy are price offers rather than free medicine. New self-pay patients pay $199 for each of the first 2 fills at the two lowest doses, then $349 a box through 2.4 mg[4]. With commercial coverage for Wegovy, the copay card brings a fill to as little as $25[4].
On Medicare, CMS’s GLP-1 Bridge charges $50 a month for Wegovy to enrollees who meet its criteria[5]. Wegovy cost and the Wegovy savings card guide go through each offer.
Compounded semaglutide is a separate, cash-only market, priced by each seller and not FDA approved. Its monthly prices are on the semaglutide price board, and the cheapest semaglutide all-in board counts the fees beside them. The compounding guide explains why a compounded version is not a copy of the brand.
The one question to settle first: is the medicine you were prescribed on this year’s product list at all?