Jane
I’ve been using Knownwell through Eli…
I’ve been using Knownwell through Eli Lilly Direct Pay for Zepbound (tirzepatide), and there are some important cost details that aren’t obvious at first. To continue receiving Zepbound or another GLP-1, you’re required to have an appointment every four months. The initial appointment costs $300, and follow-up appointments are $125 each. The medication itself through Eli Lilly Direct Pay costs $450 every 45 days at the higher doses. Also worth noting: the self-pay option only offers vials for self-injection rather than auto-injector pens. Personally, I actually prefer the vials, but some people may see that as a downside. When you factor in the mandatory appointment costs, the total price ends up being significantly higher than it first appears. When I asked why appointments are required every four months, I was told it’s because they don’t charge a subscription fee like some other companies, so instead they require periodic self-pay visits. That explanation didn’t sit well with me. If a patient medically qualifies for a prescription and is already paying cash for the medication, it feels excessive to require hundreds of dollars in recurring appointment fees just to maintain access. If the medication is straightforward enough to self-pay and receive without insurance, the additional gatekeeping costs feel unnecessary. Overall, while the medication access itself is relatively simple, the recurring appointment requirement substantially increases the true cost, and that’s something prospective patients should be aware of before signing up.