Semaglutide is a GLP-1 drug sold as Wegovy, an injection or daily pill for weight management, and as Ozempic, an injection for type 2 diabetes.
How a Tampa prescription gets filled
Any licensed Tampa prescriber can write for Wegovy. The patient signs up for Novo's self-pay offer, the script is sent to NovoCare Pharmacy, and the drug is either mailed free or picked up using the offer at a local store [1]. Novo counts more than 70,000 participating US pharmacies, including 9,000-plus CVS locations for NovoCare pickup [5].
In Hillsborough County, 31.6% of adults had obesity and 12.5% had diagnosed diabetes in 2023 [3]. Patients with diabetes often get Ozempic instead, a different label.
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Month one through month twelve
Only a new patient's 0.25 mg and 0.5 mg pens qualify for $199, and only for the first two monthly fills through December 31, 2026 [1]. Because the label raises the dose every 4 weeks (0.25, 0.5, 1, then 1.7 mg) before maintenance from week 17 [6], month three already costs $349, the same at every standard strength from 0.25 to 2.4 mg [1]. At the city's $75,475 median income [4], a year at $349 is about 5.5%. The 7.2 mg Wegovy HD pen is $399, and a commercial plan that covers Wegovy plus Novo's card can cut the bill to $25, capped at $100 in savings [1]. More: Wegovy cost and semaglutide cost.
Daily tablets: Wegovy and Foundayo
The Wegovy tablet costs $149 at 1.5 mg, $199 at 4 mg and $299 at 9 and 25 mg [1]; per the label, the schedule is 1.5 mg on days 1 to 30, 4 mg on days 31 to 60, 9 mg on days 61 to 90, then 25 mg [6]. It goes down on an empty stomach with up to 4 ounces of plain water and a 30-minute wait [6]. Lilly's Foundayo, another daily pill, runs $149 to $299 [7]. See Foundayo vs Wegovy pill.
Florida Medicaid, Medicare and 2027
KFF's January 2026 list of 13 Medicaid programs covering obesity GLP-1s does not include Florida [2]. For Part D enrollees who qualify, both Wegovy forms are on the GLP-1 Bridge at $50 a month [8] [9]. Novo plans to lower Wegovy's list price to $675 a month on January 1, 2027 [10].
STEP 1 is the reference trial: a 14.9% average loss at 68 weeks on 2.4 mg against 2.4% for placebo [12]; see semaglutide results. Compounded semaglutide skips FDA approval and FDA review [11]; read compounded semaglutide before buying any. Other Gulf and Florida pages: semaglutide in Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton.
Label warnings
Read before the first Wegovy dose
In the adult weight trials, nausea hit 44% of people on Wegovy 2.4 mg versus 16% on placebo [6]. Intense stomach pain that does not let up needs care. Anyone with MEN 2, or with medullary thyroid cancer in their own or family history, should not use it. Stop 2 months or more ahead of a planned pregnancy. Insulin or a sulfonylurea raises the chance of a low [6]. Signs of a serious allergic reaction mean calling 911.
Questions people ask
What will my first year of Wegovy pens cost in Tampa?
With NovoCare's Oct 17, 2026 prices, a new patient pays $199 for each of the first two 0.25 or 0.5 mg fills and $349 a month after that [1].
Can I pick up self-pay Wegovy at a Tampa CVS?
Yes. Novo says NovoCare Pharmacy orders can be picked up at more than 9,000 CVS stores, and the offer works at over 70,000 pharmacies [5].
Does Florida Medicaid pay for Wegovy?
Not for weight loss. Florida was not on KFF's January 2026 list of 13 state Medicaid programs covering GLP-1s for obesity [2].
How common is diabetes in Hillsborough County?
CDC PLACES estimates 12.5% of Hillsborough County adults had diagnosed diabetes in 2023 [3].
Is Foundayo cheaper than the Wegovy tablet?
Sources
12 cited
- Wegovy self-pay offer. Novo Nordisk (NovoCare Pharmacy), accessed 2026-10-17.
- Medicaid Coverage of and Spending on GLP-1s. KFF, Jan 16, 2026.
- PLACES county data: Hillsborough County, FL. CDC PLACES (2025 release, BRFSS 2023), 2023 data, 2025 release.
- QuickFacts: Tampa city, Florida. U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts, V2025; ACS 2020-2024.
- Novo Nordisk launches introductory self-pay offer for Wegovy and Ozempic. Novo Nordisk via PR Newswire, Nov 17, 2025.
- Wegovy label. DailyMed, NLM, Jun 2026.
- Foundayo self-pay pricing. Eli Lilly and Company (LillyDirect), accessed 2026-10-17.
- Medicare GLP-1 Bridge: information for pharmacies. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, accessed 2026-10-17.
- Weight loss drugs coverage. Medicare.gov (CMS), accessed 2026-10-17.
- Novo Nordisk announces reduction in US list price for Wegovy, Ozempic and Rybelsus. Novo Nordisk via PR Newswire, Feb 24, 2026.
- FDA's concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss. US Food and Drug Administration, Oct 1, 2026.
- Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity (STEP 1). New England Journal of Medicine (PubMed), Feb 10, 2021.
This page is general information, not medical advice. Talk with a licensed clinician about your own care.