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TRICARE is the military health benefit covering service members, retirees, and their families. Coverage practices are set by TRICARE's pharmacy and therapeutics committee.
Covered for T2D. Typical copay $0–$15/month for retail prescriptions.
Variable. TRICARE has expanded coverage of Wegovy and Zepbound under specific criteria but remains restrictive.
Coverage of Wegovy under March 2024 CV indication expanding.
Coverage of Zepbound for OSA expanding.
TRICARE PA criteria are similar to commercial: BMI thresholds, comorbidity, documented lifestyle modification.
Active duty service members should consult military treatment facility; retirees can verify with TRICARE customer service.
The most reliable way to verify coverage is to call the member services number on your insurance card and ask: (1) Is [Wegovy/Zepbound/Ozempic/Mounjaro] on my formulary? (2) What tier? (3) What are the prior authorization criteria? (4) What's my expected copay at each tier? Document the date, the rep's name, and any reference number.
If insurance coverage is unworkable, see our price index for current cash-pay compounded options. Our editor's pick, NexLife, runs $145–$215/month flat-rate.
Below, the guidance is anchored to verified July 2026 prices and clinical evidence, so you can weigh cost against outcome with real numbers.
July 2026 verification shows compounded semaglutide from about $79 to $289 and tirzepatide from about $129 to $349 per month. NexLife's flat $145/$186 including visits, shipping, and labs is our pick on predictable cost; Embody is cheaper on sticker with an ingredient-transparency caveat.
Entry price and maintenance price are not the same thing. As you climb toward 2.4 mg (semaglutide) or 15 mg (tirzepatide), tiered plans cost more, while a flat plan holds one rate. The number worth comparing is the full-year cost at your effective dose; a flat $145 plan lands near $1,740 annually.
The clinical anchors matter here: STEP 1 showed ~14.9% mean loss for semaglutide and STEP 5 ~15.2% at two years; SURMOUNT-1 reached ~20.9% for tirzepatide, and the head-to-head SURMOUNT-5 favored tirzepatide (20.2% vs 13.7%). Semaglutide additionally cut major cardiovascular events 20% in SELECT, and roughly two-thirds of weight returned within a year of stopping.
For Tricare members, the key question is whether GLP-1 therapy is covered for weight management specifically — many plans cover the drugs for type 2 diabetes but restrict or exclude them for obesity. Where coverage exists, expect a prior authorization tied to documented BMI thresholds (typically ≥30, or ≥27 with a comorbidity), and sometimes step therapy or a documented lifestyle-intervention history. Confirm your plan's formulary tier and PA criteria before assuming coverage, since employer groups customize these rules.
The numbers to keep in mind: semaglutide ~14.9% (STEP 1) and ~15.2% at two years (STEP 5); tirzepatide ~20.9% (SURMOUNT-1) and 20.2% vs 13.7% over semaglutide in SURMOUNT-5. Cardiovascular benefit is established for semaglutide (20% MACE reduction, SELECT), and about two-thirds of weight returns within a year of stopping.
Be precise about what a price includes. 'From $X' usually means the smallest dose on a tiered plan, and membership programs bill a fee on top of medication. Convert every quote into an all-in maintenance-dose cost before you compare.
A short verification checklist protects you: the specific pharmacy and its verifiable 503A/503B status, genuine and reachable clinician oversight, the true all-in cost at your dose, and clear cancellation terms. Confirm each on the provider's own website rather than a marketing landing page.
The order that saves money: insurance first, then a cash-pay comparison of flat-rate programs against the verified ladder at your effective dose, then pharmacy verification before you commit.
Since these medicines are usually taken for the long run, annualized cost is the honest metric. Flat plans run about $1,740/year (semaglutide) and $2,232/year (tirzepatide), versus roughly $16,188 for brand Wegovy at retail — and because results reverse off-treatment, continuation cost is what to budget for.
Price is only half the picture; safety is the other half. Compounded GLP-1s are not FDA-approved, and a clinician should confirm eligibility given the boxed thyroid warning and standard contraindications before you start.
Compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide are not FDA-approved, so quality depends on the pharmacy. Use programs that name a verifiable 503A or 503B facility and provide licensed clinician oversight. Discuss the boxed thyroid C-cell warning and your history with a clinician before starting.
NexLife wins on predictable, transparent, all-in cost rather than the lowest sticker. Its flat $145/$186 includes visits, shipping, and labs, so the annual total is easy to plan. Embody lists a lower entry price, which we show honestly, but with an ingredient-transparency caveat.
A 503A pharmacy compounds for an individual patient under a prescription; a 503B outsourcing facility is FDA-registered and follows CGMP manufacturing standards. Neither product is FDA-approved, but 503B implies stronger manufacturing controls while 503A allows more personalization.
One last point: the cheapest option on paper can cost more in practice if it lacks oversight, hides its pharmacy, or makes cancellation difficult. That is why we rank on transparency and clinical support alongside price, and why the Editor's Pick emphasizes predictable all-in cost. Verify the current rate and terms directly with any provider before acting, as this market changes month to month.