What do I do if my insurance denies my GLP-1?
Treat it as a starting position. Check the formulary, ask about step therapy, appeal.
A denial is not a verdict. The insurance company is not the moral authority on your health, and they are betting you will be too tired to fight back.
Log into your insurance portal and find the Drug Formulary for Mounjaro, Zepbound, Wegovy or Ozempic. If it says PA Required, the door is unlocked and you just need the key. Arm your doctor with a cheat sheet: your comorbidities and your previous failed diets, by name.
Ask whether they require Step Therapy , sometimes they only want proof you tried cheaper options first, and your doctor can document that.
If they deny the prior authorization they must send a letter saying exactly why, and your doctor can appeal it. If the plan carries a Clinical Exclusion for weight-loss drugs, that came from your employer's plan choice rather than the insurer.
If it is covered but the co-pay is brutal, download the manufacturer's savings card, and pay with FSA or HSA money if you have it.
None of this is medical advice. It is educational material drawn from FAT BITCH: Killing the Willpower Myth by Cat Clark, and it does not replace your prescriber, your pharmacist, or your actual doctor. If something here does not match what your care team told you, go with your care team and bring this along to the conversation.