Christmas and New Year on a GLP-1: refills, year-end money and drinks
The last two weeks of the year move your GLP-1 bill more than any other: two holiday closures can delay a refill, FSA money runs out on December 31, and on January 1 deductibles reset and some plans stop paying. Here is what to do before each date, for Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, Mounjaro and compounded semaglutide or tirzepatide. Checked November 12.
The dates that matter
| Date | What happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, December 25 | Christmas Day. Carriers do not deliver; programs ship on business days. | Order a refill due that week a few business days early. |
| Thursday, December 31 | The last day for most FSA money, unless your plan has a grace period or carryover. | Spend what is left on a prescribed GLP-1 if your administrator accepts it: HSA and FSA for GLP-1s. |
| Friday, January 1 | New Year's Day closure. Deductibles reset, drug lists change, some employers drop coverage. | Check your 2027 plan: open enrollment for 2027 and employers dropping GLP-1 coverage. |
If your plan stops paying on January 1, two cash programs to check.
No insurance needed.
Prices checked Nov 12, 2026.
- Check price →Eden's GLP-1 page, then an online assessment
- Check price →
Refills over the two closures
- LillyDirect's Zepbound price is $449 at 7.5mg to 15mg if you refill within 45 days, otherwise $499 at 7.5mg and $699 at 10mg to 15mg. A refill that slips past the window over the holidays can move you to the higher price. Every dose and price: Zepbound cost.
- A compounded multi-dose vial has a beyond-use date, so a late refill can leave a gap rather than a spare: beyond-use date.
- If a closure moves your dose, each label's late-dose window and dose-day rule is here: GLP-1 missed dose rules. Traveling: how long each pen keeps out of the fridge.
Year-end money: FSA, deductibles and the cash route
An FSA usually pays for a prescribed GLP-1 when your administrator accepts the claim; IRS Publication 969 lets a plan offer a grace period of up to two and a half months or a set carryover, not both. On January 1 your deductible starts again, so the first fills of 2027 can cost more on insurance than they did in December. If your plan drops weight-loss coverage, compare the monthly cash price at the dose you stay on, not the starter price: starting or restarting a GLP-1 in January 2027.
Holiday meals and New Year's Eve
The meal is the same question as Thanksgiving: these drugs slow stomach emptying, so smaller plates and less of the richest food are what the medical sources advise. The full answer, with the trial figures: Thanksgiving on a GLP-1.
For New Year's Eve, Cleveland Clinic advises avoiding alcoholic and caffeinated drinks that dehydrate you, and Mayo Clinic says to discuss alcohol with your healthcare professional. Water through the evening matters more on a GLP-1: the labels tie dehydration from vomiting or diarrhea to kidney injury. If you also take insulin or a sulfonylurea, alcohol adds to the low blood sugar risk the labels already warn about.
Sources
- Cleveland Clinic: can certain foods affect your Ozempic side effects?
- Mayo Clinic: tirzepatide (Zepbound, Mounjaro) precautions
- IRS Publication 969: health savings accounts and flexible spending arrangements
Questions
When should I order a GLP-1 refill before Christmas?
A few business days before December 25. Christmas Day and New Year's Day both fall on a Friday this year, carriers do not deliver on either, and pharmacies and telehealth programs ship on business days.
Can I use leftover FSA money on a GLP-1 before December 31?
Often yes, with a prescription, if your plan administrator accepts the claim. Some plans give a grace period of up to two and a half months or let a set amount carry over; your plan's rules say which.
Will my GLP-1 cost change on January 1?
It can. Deductibles reset, plan drug lists change and some employers drop weight-loss coverage for 2027. If your plan stops paying, the cash price on our chart is the fallback.
Can I drink on New Year's Eve on a GLP-1?
Ask your prescriber. Cleveland Clinic advises avoiding drinks that dehydrate you, the labels tie dehydration from vomiting or diarrhea to kidney injury, and people who also take insulin or a sulfonylurea already have a low blood sugar warning that alcohol adds to.