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Costco (NASDAQ:COST<\/a>), the warehouse club best known for its bulk bargains and $1.50 hot dogs, is expanding its pharmacy into fast-growing weight-loss drug market. The company is now selling Ozempic and Wegovy \u2014 two of the most in-demand prescription medications in the U.S. \u2014 at its pharmacies nationwide.<\/p>\n Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO<\/a>), the Danish pharmaceutical company behind both medications, announced that Costco will now offer a one-month supply of Ozempic<\/a> or Wegovy for $499. The price matches what Novo Nordisk lists on its direct-to-consumer website and what’s available through CVS and Walmart.<\/p>\n Don’t Miss:<\/p>\n That’s a major markdown compared with typical retail prices of around $1,300 for Ozempic and $1,600 for Wegovy, according to GoodRx<\/a>. Both drugs are part of a class known as GLP-1 agonists \u2014 injectable medications that can help regulate blood sugar and suppress appetite. Ozempic is approved to treat Type 2 diabetes, while Wegovy is FDA-approved for chronic weight management.<\/p>\n The new program is available at more than 600 Costco pharmacies across the U.S. Members will still need a prescription to purchase either medication. Executive members and Costco Citibank Visa cardholders can also earn 2% cash back on their purchases through the retailer’s rewards program.<\/p>\n David Moore, executive vice president for Novo Nordisk’s U.S. operations, said the partnership is intended to make access easier.<\/p>\n “Our collaboration with Costco is another step forward by Novo Nordisk in making real Wegovy and Ozempic easier to access and afford \u2013 right where people already shop,” Moore said in a statement. “By partnering with one of the country’s most trusted retailers, we are meeting people where they are and connecting them to real, FDA-approved medicines in our premium pen devices with our $499 self-pay offer. Everyone deserves care that’s simple, reliable, and within reach \u2013 and we’re proud to lead the way in helping make that a reality.”<\/p>\n Trending: If there was a new fund backed by Jeff Bezos offering a 7-9% target yield with monthly dividends would you invest in it<\/a>?<\/p>\n It’s not just Costco offering that $499 mark. Novo Nordisk<\/a> in August lowered the price of Ozempic for self-paying patients to $499 per month.<\/p>\n One prefilled 2 mg pen of Ozempic or four prefilled 0.25 mg pens of Wegovy are also currently available for $499 via a coupon through GoodRx. This matches the Costco price, effectively giving patients that option through an online discount channel.<\/p>\n That GoodRx pricing helps underscore how manufacturers and retail partners are trying to standardize a lower “cash-pay” price for semaglutide medications<\/a> in the U.S.<\/p>\n While the $499 monthly price may expand access for people without insurance, medical experts told NBC News<\/a> that the medications will still be out of reach for many. “This will definitely improve one of the issues with access,” said Dr. Rekha Kumar, an endocrinologist at Weill Cornell Medicine. “But it will not solve the issues of insurance coverage and cost.”<\/p>\n See Also: Missed Nvidia and Tesla? RAD Intel Could Be the Next AI Powerhouse \u2014 Invest Now at Just $0.81 a Share<\/a><\/p>\n Only 13 states currently cover GLP-1 drugs for obesity treatment under Medicaid, according to the nonprofit health research group KFF. Many private insurance plans also exclude these prescriptions, leaving patients to pay out of pocket.<\/p>\n Dr. Harlan Krumholz, a cardiologist and professor at Yale School of Medicine, told NBC News that while increased availability is a positive step, affordability remains a barrier. “The people who have the greatest need for these medications are precisely the people who have either poor insurance or no insurance,” he said.<\/p>\n The move highlights Costco’s growing presence in the health sector. As weight-loss medications continue to reshape consumer health spending, Costco’s partnership with Novo Nordisk positions the retailer to play a larger role in how Americans access \u2014 and afford \u2014 these blockbuster drugs.<\/p>\n Read Next: Backed by $300M+ in Assets and Microsoft’s Climate Fund, Farmland LP Opens Vital Farmland III to Accredited Investors<\/a><\/p>\n Image: Shutterstock<\/p>\n This article Ozempic at Costco? Discount Giant Expands Into $100 Billion Weight-Loss Drug Market<\/a> originally appeared on Benzinga.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. 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