As I switched from a compounded version of Tirzepatitde to LillyDirect, I faced a repeated wall of text that said "prescription denied" or "prescription rejected." It took me four tries between the Gifthealth pharmacy service and my provider to get it right.
I noticed the frustration of others through this process in great forums like Reddit, so I wanted to share what I found out that made my LillyDirect Zepbound prescription sail through approval in seconds.
Step-by-Step Zepbound Prescription Process Through Gifthealth
When I saw that LillyDirect dropped prices on the vials, I immediately knew it was time to switch. That became especially true when an FDA ruling changed how most compounding pharmacies could produce the medication now that the "shortage is over."
They made it seem so simple on the website, but what followed was anything but. There are a few nuances of getting a LillyDirect Zepbound prescription via vials through Gifthealth that you should share with your provider.
LillyDirect Zepbound Website
Be sure you agree to the terms and conditions on the website before you start the process. From there, copy and paste the pharmacy details to share with your provider.
"LillyDirect Self Pay Pharmacy Solutions NPI: 1689411712 NCPDP: 3692539"
Just for educational purposes, the NPA is a unique identifier assigned to pharmacies to track and process transactions.
NCPDP (National Council for Prescription Drug Programs) is a unique number assigned to pharmacies for processing electronic claims, billing insurance, and identifying pharmacies in national databases. Unlike NPIs, which cover all healthcare providers, NCPDP numbers are pharmacy-specific and critical for electronic prescribing.
Step 2: Contact Your Prescribing Doctor
If you already have a provider who prescribes Zepbound, contact them. You want to share that information about the pharmacy information. However, before you press send, keep reading, or else it could lead you to a slew of rejections with little understanding of why.
It's important to note that Eli Lilly uses third-party pharmacy services to dispense the different medications. For Zepbound vials, the company is Gifthealth. If you ever have questions about your Zepbound vials prescription, use the chat function on the Gifthealth homepage. I never had to wait more than three minutes for a response.
You can also call 1 (833) 614-4438 or e-mail care@gifthealth.com, though I can't speak for how responsive those forms of communication are.
The Zepbound vial denial or rejection text messages look like this:
Step 3: The Information You Can Only Get Via Gifthealth
It took me three long chats with Gifthealth to finally get the right information. That's what I want to share with you today. This is accurate as of March 2025.
Since I don't know the backend process of how scripts are sent from a doctor to a pharmacy, this is the information I got from the front end as the patient.
First, be sure your provider notes that you need vials, not auto-injectors. I know my provider knew that, but somehow, it didn't translate to the Gifthealth end. If nothing else, have them add a note of "Dispense Vials."
Second, the Gifthealth team offers monthly supplies of vials, which means a note of "Four Vials" should be added to the prescription for your Zepbound. If you want the autoinjectors, that's through a different third-party pharmacy.
Here's the information I got directly from Gifthealth chat on March 11, 2025.
"Please have your provider send an electronic prescription for the Zepbound vial to LillyDirect Self Pay Pharmacy Solutions or LillyDirect cash pay for the Zepbound vial. Use the NDC codes provided below and send it to NPA: 1689411712 and NCPDP: 3692539. The address is 4343 Equity Drive, Suite A, Columbus, Ohio, 43228.
The National Drug Code (NDC) is as follows:
2.5mg: 00002-0152-04
5mg: 00002-0243-04
7.5mg: 00002-1214-04
10pm: 00002-1340-04"
I sent that information (copied and pasted) to my provider, with a note to mention "Dispsense Vials" and "Four Vials."
Within an hour, I had a text from Gifthealth with a link to pay for the medication. Shipping was free, and it came with all the tools needed to do safely do the injections (alcohol swabs, needs, etc.). Not even 12 hours later, a tracking code let me know that Zepbound was on the way from Gifthealth.
Sample Message for Your Doctor to Avoid Rejection for Zepbound Vials Prescription
"I would like to go through LillyDirect to get vials of Zepbound. Since there have been some hiccups with processing with their third-party provider, Gifthealth, I wanted to make it clear what they need from you.
Please note "Dispsense Vials" on the prescription.
Make sure to note that I need four vials, as one month of Zepbound vials includes four vials.
Please use the NDC Code related to the dosage.
2.5mg: 00002-0152-04
5mg: 00002-0243-04
7.5mg: 00002-1214-04
10pm: 00002-1340-04"
Send the script to LillyDirect Self-Pay Pharmacy Solutions or Lilly direct cash pay for the Zepbound vial.
Use the code NPA: 1689411712 and NCPDP: 3692539.
The address is 4343 Equity Drive, Suite A, Columbus, Ohio, 43228."
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