More are available than ever before, and consumers have many options available for getting them. Two options are (tirzepatide), a weekly injection, and (orforglipron), a daily tablet. As an alternative to the traditional method of visiting your then filling your prescription at your local pharmacy, is a discounting option that works with other telehealth platforms or with your doctor to get medicines made by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly via the LillyDirect Pharmacy.
This guide explains how to get Zepbound or Foundayo via LillyDirect, and how LillyDirect compares with other options.
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What Is LillyDirect?
It is Eli Lilly’s direct-to-patient pharmacy platform. LillyDirect routes valid prescriptions to licensed third-party pharmacies and connects patients with independent healthcare providers to simplify access to Zepbound and Foundayo.
LillyDirect is not a medical practice. Independent providers decide whether treatment is appropriate and may recommend a different medication or no medication. The service is also limited to select Lilly products, while your usual healthcare provider or another program may discuss a wider range of treatments.
While LillyDirect is not a pharmacy, the platform partners with several dispensing pharmacies including Amazon Pharmacy, Fuze Health, Gifthealth and Walmart Pharmacy. The specific pharmacy may depend on the medicine, and whether you choose delivery or retail pickup. LillyDirect sets consistent prices across its participating pharmacies, so the price should not change based on which pharmacy is assigned to handle your order.
LillyDirect accepts most major insurance plans. Self-pay is another option when your insurance does not cover the medicine or you choose not to use insurance. Payment options include most major credit cards and or flexible spending account cards. Retail pickup locations may also accept cash.
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LillyDirect cost
The platform accepts most major insurance plans and LillyDirect offers discounted self-pay pricing for patients without insurance coverage. Depending on insurance eligibility and applicable savings cards, monthly out-of-pocket costs range from as low as $25 up to standard self-pay rates (see the cost breakdown table below).
| Medication and dose | Standard self-pay monthly price | Potential cost with savings card or insurance |
| Zepbound (2.5 mg) | $299 | As low as $25 |
| Zepbound (5 mg) | $399 | As low as $25 |
| Zepbound (higher doses) | $449* | As low as $25 |
| Foundayo (0.8 mg) | $149 | As low as $25 |
| Foundayo (2.5 mg) | $199 | As low as $25 |
| Foundayo (higher doses) | $299** | As low as $25 |
*Applies when specific refill requirements are met.
**The $299 price for the two highest Foundayo doses requires refilling within 45 days.
Offers may change, and drug prices do not include medical care. Visit the to verify current details.
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How to Use LillyDirect: A Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Schedule with a prescriber
Make an appointment with your existing healthcare provider to discuss your health goals and determine if a weight loss medication is suitable for you. If Zepbound or Foundayo is prescribed, the prescription can be sent electronically to a LillyDirect Pharmacy or submitted by phone or fax.
If you already use Zepbound or Foundayo and your prescription is currently at another pharmacy and you want to change to LillyDirect, your prescriber will need to send a new prescription to LillyDirect.
If you don’t have an established healthcare provider or want to find a new one, you can also use LillyDirect to browse independent GLP-1 telehealth and in-person care options. At your visit, the clinician reviews your health history, medications and treatment goals, then makes an independent prescribing decision.
“As a first step, I would recommend patients talk with their primary care providers about treatment options and a referral to an obesity medicine specialist,” says Dr. an obesity medicine physician and professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. An established provider may offer greater continuity, while telehealth may be more convenient.
Step 2: Discuss Zepbound vs. Foundayo vs. other medication options
Zepbound (tirzepatide) is injected once weekly and activates GIP and GLP-1 receptors. Foundayo (orforglipron) is a GLP-1 receptor agonist pill taken once daily, with or without food. Both are approved for weight loss and long-term weight maintenance in adults with and adults with excess body weight plus a weight-related medical condition, such as or , along with diet and . Zepbound is also approved for moderate to severe obstructive in adults with obesity.
In separate 72-week clinical trials, patients taking the highest doses lost an average of 21% of their body weight on Zepbound and 11% on Foundayo, compared to 3% and 2% for placebo. Note: these results came from independent studies, not a direct comparison. Both can cause and carry boxed warnings about possible thyroid tumor risk.
You and your provider will consider many factors in the decision, such as your preferences for a weekly shot versus a daily pill, your health history, weight loss goals and affordability.
Although not available through LillyDirect, your provider may suggest other . All weight management treatments work best when paired with a reduced calorie and increased physical activity. Your healthcare provider or a can advise you on healthy lifestyle changes that are right for you.
Step 3: LillyDirect coordinates pharmacy fulfillment
Once LillyDirect receives a valid prescription, one of its pharmacy partners will contact you within a few business days, usually by text or email. The message will include checkout instructions and information about insurance or self-pay options. If you are unsure whether a message is legitimate, contact LillyDirect customer care before opening links or sharing information.
For medicines that can be billed to insurance, the pharmacy checks your coverage, copay and whether is required. Keep in mind, LillyDirect can help coordinate the prior authorization paperwork with your prescriber and insurer, but it cannot guarantee that the plan will approve the medication.
Next, the LillyDirect pharmacy automatically checks for available Lilly savings cards and applies one at checkout when the patient qualifies. These cards are not available to people enrolled in , Medicaid, Medicare Part D, TRICARE or similar government programs.
LillyDirect offers free home delivery and retail pickup for select products. If your prescription is for Zepbound, you’ll also need injection supplies. Pens require pen needles, while vials require needles and syringes. These supplies may be added to your cart at checkout or purchased separately.
LillyDirect’s pharmacy partner will remind you about upcoming refills, so let them know if any of your contact information changes. Keep in mind that the pharmacy cannot change the prescribed medicine or dose. If your treatment changes, your healthcare provider must send a new prescription. Typically, prescriptions are valid for up to one year, although state rules vary.
For questions about an order, contact LillyDirect Customer Care at 844-559-3471.
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Comparing LillyDirect Costs vs. Zepbound/Foundayo Savings Cards
If you get Zepbound via LillyDirect, the platform does not add a special discount on top of Lilly’s existing savings programs. Instead, it just helps people access those programs.
This part can get a bit confusing. Eli Lilly offers savings cards that eligible patients can use to lower the cost of Zepbound or Foundayo. These cards are not exclusive to LillyDirect, and they can be used to lower the cost with or without insurance.
Eligible individuals can use the or to get the same savings at other pharmacies outside of LillyDirect. The difference is that it won’t be automatically done for you. To get the card savings, you’ll need to sign up for the savings card and then share it with the pharmacy staff before picking up your prescription. The process is easy and worthwhile.
This means you should compare the same manufacturer savings terms whether you use LillyDirect or another pharmacy, along with any differences in convenience, delivery and pharmacy support.
For eligible people with commercial insurance that covers the medication, an applied savings card may reduce the copay to as little as $25. This is generally less than the self-pay prices after an applied savings card, as follows:
— Zepbound: $299 for the 2.5 mg starting dose, $399 for 5 mg and $449 for higher doses.
— Foundayo: $149 for the 0.8 mg starting dose, $199 for 2.5 mg and $299 for higher doses.
People with , and other government health plans cannot use Zepbound or Foundayo savings cards due to eligibility restrictions. They may still be able to use their insurance through LillyDirect for select medicines and pharmacies. If the medication is not covered, the listed self-pay price may be an option. Refill requirements apply to the highest-dose pricing and other restrictions apply; all of the fine print is available on .
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LillyDirect vs. Telehealth and Other Options
The popularity of weight loss drugs has led to a huge expansion of . Programs vary, but a full-service telehealth program may be a good fit if you want prescribing, coaching, , and follow-up all in one place. But the telehealth route may add membership fees on top of medication costs.
LillyDirect
LillyDirect may be simpler for someone who already has a prescriber and mainly wants home delivery or access to the program’s self-pay prices.
LillyDirect vs. telehealth is not always an either-or choice. You can use telehealth for clinical care and LillyDirect for pharmacy fulfillment. You can also see your regular family doctor and fill the prescription through LillyDirect, another mail-order pharmacy or a local pharmacy.
Telehealth and other options
Before enrolling in any program, confirm whether it provides the brand-name medication or a compounded product. Prepared by compounding pharmacies, compounded medications are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and can differ in formulation, packaging and oversight. LillyDirect supplies branded FDA-approved medications through its pharmacy network.
A of 75 brick-and-mortar weight-loss clinics and medical spas in two states found that 42 offered compounded GLP-1 medications combined with B vitamins. In addition, multiple source facilities lacked sterile-compounding licenses, and several had received regulatory warnings or disciplinary action. The study did not include online-only companies, and its findings do not mean that every compounded product has these problems.
“This is definitely a buyer-beware market, regardless of whether the seller is an online telehealth company or a brick-and-mortar clinic,” says the study’s lead author and professor at the University of Chicago. He recommends checking whether the provider reviews your medical history and identifies the supplying pharmacy.
The FDA says compounded GLP-1 drugs should generally be used only when an FDA-approved option cannot meet a patient’s needs, since compounded products are not reviewed for safety, effectiveness or quality. The agency recommends using a licensed prescriber and state-licensed pharmacy, while watching for red flags, such as unusually low prices or claims that a compounded drug is the same as an FDA-approved product.
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Bottom Line
LillyDirect offers a convenient way to access Zepbound or Foundayo by connecting patients with independent healthcare providers and participating pharmacies. It may be a good fit for people who want home delivery, self-pay pricing or an easier way to access Lilly savings programs.
Before deciding whether LillyDirect is right for you, consider your insurance coverage, medication costs, preferred healthcare provider and whether you want ongoing support through your primary care provider or a telehealth program.
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