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Could a GLP-1 medicine be an option for me?

GLP-1 check: what the FDA labels say, and how coverage usually works. 9 short questions, checked against the US labels for Wegovy, Zepbound and Foundayo, with what usually happens on Medicare, Medicaid, insurance or self-pay.

Takes about 1 minute Nothing you type leaves your device Every result cites its source

It never says "yes" or "you qualify". It shows what published rules say about answers like yours. Your doctor or another licensed prescriber decides, and your plan decides what it pays for.

Question 1 of 9
What brings you here?

Pick the one that fits best.

How this works

The check compares your answers with three sets of published rules:

  • The FDA labels (the prescribing information the Food and Drug Administration approves) for Wegovy, Zepbound and Foundayo: who should not take these medicines, and the BMI a prescription for weight can start from.1,4,5
  • BMI ranges that describe weight: the CDC's adult ranges, and the lower cut points the American Diabetes Association uses for Asian Americans.2,3
  • How coverage usually works for your kind of plan: Medicare and its GLP-1 Bridge, Medicaid, insurance through work, other government plans, or paying yourself.9,10,12,13 This part explains; it doesn't decide. Your plan decides.

Safety answers are checked first, so a "do not use" answer always wins over a BMI number. BMI is rounded to one decimal place before any rule is applied, so the number you see is the number we use. The labels count obesity from a BMI of 30 and overweight from 27 to under 30, so a BMI of exactly 27.0 counts.1,8

The five results, and the rule behind each. Safety answers are checked first, from the top.

Usually not used for you

If your answers show any of these:

  • Medullary thyroid cancer or MEN 2, in you or a close relative
  • Pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to get pregnant
  • Severe gastroparesis (food stays in the stomach far too long)
  • A past serious allergic reaction to these medicines

Rule and source: a contraindication (a reason not to use the medicine) or "not recommended" on the FDA labels4,1; NIH advice on pregnancy and breastfeeding8

Talk to a specialist first

If your answers show any of these:

  • Under 18
  • Type 1 diabetes
  • An eating disorder
  • Past pancreatitis (a swollen, painful pancreas)
  • Severe kidney disease
  • Diabetic eye disease

Rule and source: teen use from age 12 on the Wegovy label4; not studied in type 1 diabetes4; eating-disorder concern18; pancreatitis, kidney and eye warnings4. BMI rules are still checked, and shown when they matter.

Talk to your doctor about it

If your answers show any of these:

  • Type 2 diabetes
  • A BMI of 30 or more
  • A BMI of 27 to 29.9 with a weight-related condition

Rule and source: the FDA weight labels for Wegovy, Zepbound and Foundayo1,4,5; the type 2 diabetes labels for Ozempic and Mounjaro6,7. The result then explains how coverage usually works for your kind of plan.

Usually not the first step

If your answers show any of these:

  • A BMI in the overweight range (from 25, or from 23 for Asian Americans), below the label line
  • This includes people who want to lose a few pounds, or lose weight before an event

Rule and source: below the FDA label line1,4; CDC and ADA BMI ranges2,3

Below the range where they're used

If your answers show any of these:

  • A BMI below 25, or below 23 for Asian Americans

Rule and source: CDC and ADA BMI ranges2,3; the weight labels cover obesity, or overweight with a condition1,4

Some answers add notes for your doctor, whatever the result. These cover:

  • already taking another GLP-1, or a gliptin (a DPP-4 inhibitor tablet such as sitagliptin)
  • gallstones or gallbladder problems
  • insulin and sulfonylureas (diabetes tablets such as glipizide)
  • the birth-control pill
  • planned surgery
  • heart disease
  • sleep apnea
  • fatty liver
  • age 75 and over
  • not knowing your blood sugar

What this can't tell you

  • Whether a medicine is right for you. Only a prescriber who has checked you can weigh your whole health and the side effects.
  • Whether your plan will pay. Each plan has its own list of covered drugs (its formulary) and its own prior authorization rules. Medicare confirms Bridge eligibility itself.9,13
  • Which medicine, or what dose. We don't compare brands.
  • Everything on the labels. We ask about the most important answers. A prescriber reviews the full list. See Guide 4.

If you get a prescription online, the FDA advises using a pharmacy that requires a valid prescription, is licensed in the US, and has a US address and a pharmacist you can talk to.22 The FDA says compounded GLP-1 drugs are not FDA-approved and are not the same as generic drugs.20

Questions people ask

Does this check tell me if I qualify for Wegovy or Zepbound?

No. There's no "qualify" here. It shows what the FDA labels say about people with answers like yours, and how coverage usually works. A doctor or other licensed prescriber decides, after weighing your whole health and the side effects, and your plan decides what it pays for.

What BMI do the FDA labels use for weight loss?

The weight labels for Wegovy, Zepbound and Foundayo cover adults with obesity (a BMI of 30 or more), or overweight (a BMI of 27 to under 30) with at least one weight-related condition, such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes.1,4,5,8 Our answer on what BMI you need for Wegovy goes into more detail.

Does Medicare cover GLP-1 medicines for weight loss?

By law, Medicare drug plans can't cover medicines used only for weight loss.11 Plans can cover them for other approved uses, such as type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea or heart protection.10 From July 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027, the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge pays for Wegovy, Foundayo or the Zepbound KwikPen for weight, with a $50 copay, for people who meet its criteria. Medicare confirms eligibility.9,10 See who the Bridge is for.

Can a teenager take a GLP-1 in the US?

The US Wegovy injection label covers children aged 12 and over with obesity.4 The Zepbound and Foundayo weight labels are for adults.1,5 It's a decision for a pediatric specialist.

Is what I type saved or sent anywhere?

No. The check runs in your browser. Your answers aren't sent, stored or put in the web address. They disappear when you close the page.

Sources

  1. Eli Lilly. Zepbound (tirzepatide) prescribing information, US label, revised August 2026: section 1 (weight in adults with obesity, or overweight with at least one weight-related condition; moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity), 4, 5, 7 and 8.1 (stop when a pregnancy is recognized; birth-control pill advice). PDF
  2. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Adult BMI categories (adults 20 and older). Page dated March 19, 2024. cdc.gov
  3. American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee. 8. Obesity and weight management for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2023. Diabetes Care 2023;46(Suppl 1):S128–S139, Table 8.1 (cut points for Asian American individuals, expert opinion). doi:10.2337/dc23-S008
  4. Novo Nordisk. Wegovy (semaglutide) injection and tablets, prescribing information, US label, revised June 2026: boxed warning, section 1 (heart risk; weight in adults and children 12 and over with obesity; MASH), 4, 5.2, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.8, 5.10, 8.3, 8.5. PDF
  5. Eli Lilly. Foundayo (orforglipron) prescribing information, US label, revised July 2026: section 1 (weight in adults). PDF
  6. Novo Nordisk. Ozempic (semaglutide) prescribing information, US label, revised May 2026: section 1 (type 2 diabetes). PDF
  7. Eli Lilly. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) prescribing information, US label, revised August 2026: section 1 (type 2 diabetes in adults and children 10 and over). PDF
  8. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Prescription medications to treat overweight and obesity (a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 or more with weight-related problems "such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes"; "Never take weight management medications during pregnancy or if you are planning a pregnancy"; not recommended while breastfeeding). Last reviewed June 2024. niddk.nih.gov
  9. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Medicare GLP-1 Bridge (July 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027; $50 copay; the Part D deductible doesn't apply; check at Medicare.gov/glp1bridge or 1-800-MEDICARE). Page last modified July 13, 2026. cms.gov
  10. CMS. Medicare GLP-1 Bridge: information for prescribers. Product No. 12235, June 2026 (clinical criteria; covered drugs; people with type 2 diabetes, moderate-to-severe sleep apnea or MASH go through their Part D plan). PDF
  11. Social Security Act §1927(d)(2)(A), 42 U.S.C. 1396r-8 (drugs "when used for anorexia, weight loss, or weight gain" may be excluded; applied to Medicare Part D by §1860D-2(e)(2)). law.cornell.edu
  12. KFF. Medicaid coverage of and spending on GLP-1s. January 16, 2026 (13 state Medicaid programs covered GLP-1s for obesity under fee-for-service; coverage typically needs prior authorization). kff.org
  13. KFF. 2025 Employer Health Benefits Survey (19% of firms with 200 or more workers cover GLP-1s mainly for weight loss; 43% of firms with 5,000 or more). kff.org
  14. Novo Nordisk. Wegovy price guide and savings offer terms, NovoCare, April 2026 ("Government beneficiaries excluded"). novocare.com
  15. Lincoff AM et al. Semaglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in obesity without diabetes (SELECT). NEJM, 2023;389:2221–32. Paid for by Novo Nordisk, the maker. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2307563
  16. Wilding JPH et al. Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: the STEP 1 trial extension. Diabetes Obes Metab, 2022;24:1553–64. doi:10.1111/dom.14725
  17. American Society of Anesthesiologists. New multi-society GLP-1 clinical practice guidance released. October 29, 2024. Declared interests: 2 of 10 guidance authors declare fees from Novo Nordisk (paper's own declaration). asahq.org
  18. The dual role of GLP-1 receptor agonists in weight management and eating disorders: potential benefits and risks. J Psychiatr Res, 2026. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.03.008
  19. GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy and skeletal muscle: a narrative review with implications for older adults. JAR Life, 2026. doi:10.1016/j.jarlif.2026.100083
  20. US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FDA's concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss. Content current as of October 1, 2026. fda.gov
  21. FDA. FDA warns consumers not to use counterfeit Ozempic (semaglutide) found in US drug supply chain (warnings December 2023, April 2025 and December 2025). fda.gov
  22. FDA. BeSafeRx: your source for online pharmacy information. fda.gov
  23. America's Poison Centers. Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222; call 911 if someone "collapses, has a seizure, has trouble breathing or can't be awakened". poison.org
  24. Novo Nordisk. Wegovy (semaglutide injection) product monograph, Health Canada, authorized October 2, 2026: section 7 (Hepatic/Biliary), and the patient information table (“Gallstones … sudden pain in the upper stomach or back, often on the right”). Checked Oct 13, 2026. PDF
  25. American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee. 9. Pharmacologic approaches to glycemic treatment: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026. Diabetes Care, 2026;49(Suppl 1):S183–S215. Recommendation 9.18 (“Concurrent use of dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors with a GLP-1 RA or a dual GIP and GLP-1 RA is not recommended due to lack of additional glucose lowering”); the section groups GLP-1 medicines and DPP-4 inhibitors together as incretin medications. Checked Oct 13, 2026. doi:10.2337/dc26-S009 · Full text

All sources last checked Oct 12, 2026 · Coverage rules change often · Next review due Jan 2027

How this tool was made. Built by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above. It's general information, not medical advice, and it doesn't decide coverage. Talk to your doctor or another licensed prescriber before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. In an emergency, call 911. How we write