.svg)
.svg)
.webp)
.webp)
.webp)
Ozempic® is a prescription medication FDA-approved to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes.
It’s also approved to reduce the risk of serious cardiovascular events, including heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death, in adults with type 2 diabetes and known heart disease, and to reduce the risk of kidney disease worsening, kidney failure, and cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
Ozempic® belongs to a class of medications called GLP-1 receptor agonists, which work with the body's natural hunger and blood sugar signals to help regulate appetite and improve metabolic health.
Because of how it works in the body, Ozempic® can also support meaningful weight reduction, making it a valuable part of a comprehensive care plan for people managing both type 2 diabetes and their weight.
Ozempic® is available as a once-weekly injection. Your care team will help determine whether it's the right fit based on your health history, goals, and treatment needs.
.svg)
Ozempic® is a GLP-1 receptor agonist. It mimics GLP-1, a naturally occurring hormone released after you eat that helps regulate blood sugar, appetite, and digestion.
By activating GLP-1 receptors, Ozempic® works to increase insulin secretion when blood sugar is elevated, reduce glucagon (a hormone that raises blood sugar), slow the rate at which food leaves the stomach, and reduce hunger signals in the brain.
By working with these natural hormone signals, the medication helps bring blood sugar levels into balance while also reducing appetite and increasing feelings of fullness, making it easier to eat in alignment with your health goals.
Over time, people using Ozempic® as part of a broader care plan often see improvements in both blood sugar control and body weight.
Ozempic® can be covered by insurance, but it depends on your plan and diagnosis.
Insurance coverage for Ozempic® is most common when it’s prescribed for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease risk reduction, or chronic kidney disease, which are the FDA-approved indications for the medication.
Many commercial plans include Ozempic® on their formulary for these uses, though coverage varies by plan, employer, and pharmacy benefit structure.
Prior authorization is often required. Plans may ask for documentation of a type 2 diabetes diagnosis, recent lab results, and any previous medications tried. Some plans also require step therapy, meaning you might need to try other diabetes medications first.
knownwell helps patients navigate this process. Our dedicated authorization team can assist with prior benefit verification and next steps, so you understand your coverage options before moving forward.
.svg)
.svg%201%20%5BVectorized%5D%20(1).svg)
With insurance, Ozempic® can cost as little as $0.89 per day ($25 per month) for eligible commercially insured patients using the Diabetes Savings Offer Program. Actual costs vary based on your plan, benefits, pharmacy, and prescribed dose.
knownwell's care team helps review your coverage and navigate any required approvals, so you understand your options before starting treatment.
If you're paying without insurance, the list price of Ozempic® is $1,027.51 per fill for a one-month supply.
For eligible self-pay patients, Ozempic® is available through NovoCare Pharmacy at:
Pricing varies by dose and pharmacy. Your care team will review costs with you as part of your plan.
.svg)
%20(1)%201.svg)
.svg){kind=icon}
For eligible commercially insured patients with Ozempic® coverage, using the Lilly Savings Card. Governmental beneficiaries excluded.
Prescribed as part of a personalized medication plan with ongoing support from your knownwell care team.
Clinical studies show that Ozempic® can support meaningful, sustained improvements in blood sugar control and body weight for many people with type 2 diabetes, when used consistently as part of a broader care plan.
Across multiple clinical trials, Ozempic® 1 mg was associated with an average of approximately 5–6% body weight reduction.
%202.svg)
In the SUSTAIN 7 clinical trial, adults with type 2 diabetes taking semaglutide 1 mg once weekly reduced their HbA1c by 1.8% over 40 weeks, significantly more than those taking dulaglutide 1.5 mg (1.4%).
In SUSTAIN 6, a two-year trial in adults with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk, Ozempic® reduced the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, including death, non-fatal heart attack, and non-fatal stroke, by 26% compared to placebo.
.svg){kind=spacer}
In the FLOW trial, Ozempic® 1 mg reduced the risk of kidney disease progression, kidney failure, and death from kidney-related or cardiovascular causes by 24% compared to placebo in adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
.png)
Common Ozempic® side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and constipation, especially when starting or increasing the dose.
These typically improve as your body adjusts.
Ozempic® isn’t appropriate for everyone. Eligibility is impacted by certain medical conditions, a personal or family history of specific thyroid cancers, or certain endocrine disorders.
Your knownwell care team will review your health history to determine whether Ozempic® is a safe option for you.
Ozempic® is administered as a once-weekly subcutaneous injection. It’s injected just under the skin using a prefilled pen.
It can be taken at any time of day, with or without food, and injected in the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm.
Ozempic® should be stored in the refrigerator until use. Your knownwell care team will review proper storage and handling instructions for your prescription.
Ozempic® is started at a low dose (0.25 mg weekly) and increased gradually over time, typically every four weeks, to help the body adjust. The recommended maintenance doses are 0.5 mg, 1 mg, or 2 mg once weekly, with 2 mg being the maximum.
Your knownwell care team will review your specific dosing plan and make adjustments based on how your body responds.
%20(1).png)
.png)
%20(1).png)
Meet with a knownwell provider to review your options, discuss whether Ozempic® fits your needs, and get guidance on next steps.
knownwell knows that long-term weight management support is critical. That's why our patients meet with the same clinician throughout their entire time at knownwell.
A closer look at GLP-1 receptor biology, peptide engineering, and metabolic effects
Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic®, is a GLP-1 receptor agonist. That means it binds to and activates the GLP-1 receptor, the same receptor stimulated by your body's natural glucagon-like peptide-1 hormone.
But semaglutide isn't identical to natural GLP-1. It’s a 94% homologous peptide, engineered to:
This structural modification is what makes long-acting, once-weekly GLP-1 therapy possible, and what distinguishes Ozempic® from earlier, shorter-acting diabetes medications.
GLP-1 receptors are expressed in areas of the brain involved in appetite and energy balance, including the hypothalamus and the brainstem.When semaglutide activates these receptors, it:
This is not appetite suppression in the stimulant sense. It’s the modulation of the body's own physiologic hunger signals, working with the brain's natural regulation systems to help eating feel more naturally controlled.
Semaglutide's actions on blood sugar are glucose-dependent, meaning it:
Additional systemic effects include:
Talk with your provider if you’re pregnant, if you plan to become pregnant or breastfeed, or if you have a history of:
Some side effects require prompt medical attention, including:
Your knownwell care team will review your health history, medications, and safety considerations before prescribing Ozempic® and will continue to support you throughout treatment.
.svg)
.png)
.webp)
Get started with weight management care at knownwell.
