Losing weight with weight loss injections: do health insurers pay?

1. What weight loss injections are available in Switzerland?

There are currently two approved weight loss injections in Switzerland. These injections are:

• Wegovy with the active substance semaglutide

• Mounjaro with the active substance tirzepatide

Saxenda is also approved as a weight loss injection in Switzerland, but it is no longer available here. Ozempic is only approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. In cases of diabetes, the body can no longer convert blood sugar into energy.

Good to know: Mounjaro is also approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

2. Who can get Wegovy and Mounjaro weight loss injections in Switzerland?

Wegovy and Mounjaro are only approved for the treatment of severe obesity. There must be a medical need to lose weight. The weight loss injection can help, for example, after several unsuccessful attempts to lose weight.

3. Are Mounjaro and Wegovy covered by health insurers in Switzerland?

In principle, health insurers cover the cost of Wegovy in the event of a medical need. But you must carry out additional accompanying measures. You can see the measures in the list below. The costs of Mounjaro are not covered by health insurance in Switzerland.

When is Wegovy covered by health insurance in Switzerland?

• You contact your family doctor. They will refer you to a specialist for endocrinology or an obesity centre. Health insurance only pays for prescriptions from one of these places. If your family doctor prescribes the medication, you must pay for it yourself.

• In Switzerland, weight loss injections are only approved for people aged 18 years or over.

• You suffer from obesity (BMI over 35). If you are severely overweight (BMI over 28) and have an accompanying illness, your health insurer will also cover the costs. Accompanying illnesses include high blood pressure, prediabetes or sleep apnoea.

• In addition to drug therapy, you regularly visit nutritional counselling. You also follow a “500-calorie deficit diet”. This means: you eat 500 kilocalories less than your daily requirement.

• More physical activity is required. You can prove that you’re being more active, for example, with a pedometer.

• Together with a specialist, you set your weight goal. They regularly measure your progress. Your health insurer will only continue to pay if you achieve your therapy goals.

At present, health insurers may only cover the costs of Wegovy weight loss injections until 2027. It is still unclear whether health insurance will continue to pay for this therapy afterwards.

4. Weight loss injections: costs in Switzerland 

Wegovy price in Switzerland

According to the list of medical specialities, Wegovy costs 178.95 francs per pen. One pen is enough for four weeks. Health insurance covers 90% of the costs once the deductible is met. After spending a further 700 francs on coinsurance, your health insurer will cover all the costs.

Important: it’s also important to factor in the costs of doctor’s visits and nutritional counselling.

Mounjaro price in Switzerland

Mounjaro costs about 500 francs per month in Switzerland. However, the price may vary depending on the pharmacy.

5. How do Wegovy and Mounjaro weight loss injections work?

Wegovy and Mounjaro are types of GLP-1 treatment. GLP stands for glucagon-like peptide, which is a hormone produced in the intestine. It regulates blood sugar levels and appetite.

Using GLP-1, the weight loss injection delays gastric emptying and reduces appetite. Due to the reduced food intake, the body mainly breaks down fat – but sometimes also muscle tissue.

Participants in a Wegovy study, for example, reduced their body weight by about 15% on average. According to Swissmedic, the average weight loss with Mounjaro is 22.5% for people without type 2 diabetes.

6. What are the side effects of weight loss injections?

Like most medications, Wegovy and Mounjaro also have side effects. However, some of them only appear at the beginning of treatment.

For this reason, treatment often starts with a low dosage. It is gradually increased if the patient is able to tolerate the medication well. Little is known about the long-term effects.