I want to add the perspective of someone with NO insurance. Self-employed, individual market plans in my state exclude weight loss meds, and I don't qualify for Marketplace subsidies.

My 12-month cost on compounded semaglutide through a direct telehealth provider (no subscription fee):

• Month 1-2 (0.25mg): $99/month
• Month 3-4 (0.5mg): $129/month
• Month 5-12 (1.0mg): $179/month
• Supplies: ~$96 for the year
• Total: $1,984 for the year

Results: 62 lbs lost, A1C from 6.3 to 5.1, blood pressure normalized, off my BP medication ($45/month savings there). If I factor in the BP med savings, my net cost was about $1,444 for the year.

Brand Wegovy at retail would have been $16,188. Compounded literally saved me $14,204. I couldn't have done this without the compounding option existing.

the point above about downstream cost savings is important and often overlooked. I've been collecting self-reported data from about 200 community members, and the average person reports:

• Dropping 1.3 other medications within 12 months of starting a GLP-1
• Average monthly savings on other meds: $67/month
• Reduction in doctor visits: 2.1 fewer per year

When you factor in total healthcare cost reductions, the NET cost of GLP-1 therapy is significantly lower than the sticker price. This is the argument insurers should be making to themselves, honestly.

Incredible data from everyone. I'm going to compile all of this into a comprehensive spreadsheet and share it with the community. The bottom line seems to be:

The "right" option depends entirely on your insurance situation, and the cost gap between best-case (Kaiser at $35/mo) and worst-case (brand retail at $1,349/mo) is absolutely massive. The compounding option provides a critical middle path that makes this medication class accessible to people who would otherwise be priced out entirely.

Going to do a follow-up post at the 24-month mark with updated data. Thanks everyone for contributing your numbers!