Is Saxenda covered by insurance? The conditions per insurer in 2026

The conditions for reimbursement of Saxenda: BMI, GLI and prescriber

According to the February 2022 advice from Zorginstituut Nederland (the Dutch National Health Care Institute), basic health insurance only reimburses liraglutide for weight management if you meet all of the conditions below:

• A BMI of 40 or higher, or a BMI of 35 or higher combined with cardiovascular disease, sleep apnoea or osteoarthritis.
• A year of a recognised GLI without sufficient results, and you continue the GLI alongside the medication.
• No type 2 diabetes. Other reimbursement rules and other liraglutide brands (Victoza and generics) apply to diabetes.
• No previous weight loss surgery and not being considered for such an operation.
• Prescribed by a doctor who fills in a doctor's statement (artsenverklaring); the pharmacy checks it.

A stopping rule also applies: if you have not lost at least 5 percent of your starting weight after 3 months on the maintenance dose, the reimbursement stops. When it was introduced, the institute deliberately described the target group as "a small group with severe overweight". Most people with a BMI between 30 and 35 fall outside it. You can read which other weight loss medication is or is not reimbursed in our overview of weight loss medication covered by insurance.

Saxenda reimbursement per insurer: CZ, Zilveren Kruis, VGZ, Menzis and DSW

The conditions are the same at every insurer, because they are set nationally in bijlage 2. The difference lies in the preference policy: for liraglutide, insurers designate one brand that they reimburse. If you get a brand other than Saxenda, it is the same active substance in the same strength, with a different pen. There is more about this in our article on liraglutide.

So if you search for "Saxenda reimbursement CZ" or "Saxenda reimbursement VGZ 2026", the answer is: the same conditions, possibly a different brand. If your doctor writes "medical necessity" (medische noodzaak) on the prescription, the pharmacy can still supply Saxenda in exceptional cases. The deductible (€385 in 2026) applies at all insurers; supplementary insurance adds nothing. Read more about how to buy Saxenda.

How long is Saxenda reimbursed and when does reimbursement stop?

Reimbursement continues as long as you meet the conditions and the medication demonstrably works. The first assessment point is after 3 months on the maintenance dose of 3.0 mg: if you have lost less than 5 percent of your starting weight by then, the reimbursement stops. After that, the prescribing doctor periodically assesses whether continuing makes sense.

No fixed maximum duration has been set. You do have to keep following the GLI alongside the medication, and the doctor's statement has a period of validity that the pharmacy monitors. If you stop the GLI or fall below the BMI limit, the reimbursement may lapse.

Saxenda without GLI, after weight loss surgery or via your GP

Without GLI, Saxenda is not reimbursed. The GLI is a strict condition: a year of participation without sufficient results, and continuing during the medication. According to the Zorginstituut, the GLI is a two-year programme that is itself reimbursed from basic health insurance, without a deductible, for people with a BMI from 25 with a large waist circumference or a weight-related condition, or a BMI from 35. If you have not yet followed a GLI, that is where you start.

After gastric reduction surgery or a gastric bypass, Saxenda is not reimbursed. The institute excludes people who have had bariatric surgery or are being considered for it. If you want to use liraglutide after such an operation anyway, you pay for it yourself, after assessment by a doctor.

Via your GP (huisarts) is possible, but not a given. Since October 2025, the Nederlands Huisartsen Genootschap (NHG) (the Dutch College of General Practitioners) has classed prescribing weight-reducing medication as part of the GP's optional "extra services". GPs who do it follow the same BMI and GLI conditions. If your GP prescribes Saxenda outside the reimbursement conditions, you pay for it yourself, even though the prescription comes from the GP. You can read what the GP can and cannot do in our article on whether your GP can prescribe weight loss injections.

Not eligible for reimbursement, but still want to know whether medication under a doctor's supervision is right for you? Read how medical weight loss with injections works with us →

Has the reimbursement changed? What is happening in 2025 and 2026

The conditions have not changed since 1 April 2022. What has changed is the brand. Since 1 October 2025, VGZ has designated Vobexoryn as the preferred brand of liraglutide for overweight, and from 1 April 2026 Zilveren Kruis reimburses Nevolat instead of Saxenda. So if you hear that "Saxenda is no longer reimbursed", you are usually getting a different brand with the same substance, not an end to reimbursement.

When switching from Saxenda to Vobexoryn in early 2026, many users reported problems with the pen, which turned stiffly or blocked. In August 2026, the College ter Beoordeling van Geneesmiddelen (CBG, the Dutch Medicines Evaluation Board) established that technical differences between the pens explain this. If your brand changes, ask the pharmacy to explain the new pen.

What does Saxenda cost if you pay for it yourself?

If you pay for Saxenda yourself, it costs €37.12 per pen at the pharmacy (medicijnkosten.nl, July 2026). On the maintenance dose of 3.0 mg a day, you use about five pens a month, around €186 in medication. On top of that come the pharmacy's dispensing fees (terhandstellingskosten) and the costs of the prescribing doctor. The calculation per dose is in our article on Saxenda cost.

With us, a medical weight loss with injections programme with liraglutide (Saxenda) costs €850 per month, plus a one-off €400 support fee. This includes the medication, home delivery and support from your own BIG-registered doctor, who evaluates your progress with you every 4 weeks. The doctor assesses beforehand whether medical weight loss is right for you.

How to apply for reimbursement

The application goes through your doctor and the pharmacy, not through the insurer itself.

1. Start a GLI via your GP. According to the RIVM (the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment), you need a referral from your GP or medical specialist; without a referral, you pay for the GLI yourself.
2. After a year of GLI without sufficient results, you discuss with your doctor whether liraglutide is suitable. The doctor checks your BMI, comorbidity, diabetes status and surgical history.
3. The doctor writes the prescription and fills in the doctor's statement. In it, the doctor declares that you meet the bijlage 2 conditions.
4. The pharmacy checks the statement and supplies your insurer's preferred brand. The amount counts towards your deductible.
5. After 3 months on 3.0 mg, the doctor assesses the result. Less than 5 percent weight loss means stopping the reimbursed treatment.

Want to know whether medical weight loss is right for you? Complete the eligibility check and the doctor will assess your situation →

Frequently asked questions about Saxenda and insurance coverage

Is Saxenda reimbursed during a GLI programme?

Yes, but only after a year of GLI without sufficient results, and only with a BMI of 40 or higher, or 35 or higher with cardiovascular disease, sleep apnoea or osteoarthritis. You continue the GLI alongside the medication.

Which insurance covers Saxenda?

All insurers reimburse liraglutide under the same national conditions. The brand differs: Zilveren Kruis reimburses Nevolat, VGZ Vobexoryn. Ask your pharmacy which brand your insurer has designated.

Why is Saxenda no longer reimbursed?

Reimbursement of liraglutide has not stopped. Since the end of 2025, insurers have been designating a preferred brand (Vobexoryn at VGZ, Nevolat at Zilveren Kruis) and then only reimburse that brand. The active substance and the dosage are the same as those of Saxenda.

Can a GP prescribe Saxenda?

Yes. Since October 2025, the NHG has classed this as part of the GP's optional extra services, under the same BMI and GLI conditions. If you do not meet them, you pay for the medication yourself, even with a prescription from your GP.

Is Saxenda reimbursed by Zilveren Kruis or VGZ in 2026?

Yes, under the national conditions. Zilveren Kruis supplies Nevolat, VGZ Vobexoryn. The deductible of €385 applies.

Which weight loss medication is covered by health insurance?

Only liraglutide (Saxenda and preferred brands) and naltrexone/bupropion (Mysimba), both under strict conditions after a year of GLI. Wegovy, Ozempic for weight loss and Mounjaro for weight loss are not reimbursed; you can read how that works for diabetes in is Ozempic covered by insurance. The comparison between the two reimbursed medications is in Saxenda vs Mysimba.

What does Saxenda cost if it is not reimbursed?

At the pharmacy, €37.12 per pen (July 2026), about €186 per month on the maintenance dose, plus pharmacy and doctor's costs. With us, a programme with liraglutide (Saxenda) costs €850 per month, plus a one-off €400 support fee.

<!-- klant:eind -->