Finding the Healthcare Arbitrage (Post 3 in a series)
How a UK Trip Solved My GLP-1 Drug Shortage--and paid for itself!
Here's a travel hack you won't find on The Points Guy: my recent UK trip effectively paid for itself through prescription drug arbitrage.
Sometimes the best solutions come from asking "what if?" When planning a trip to visit one of the TechKids at university in the UK, I wondered: could a different healthcare system solve my medication shortage? The answer led to an unexpected arbitrage opportunity that effectively paid for my plane ticket.
I took the drugs and the drugs are working
I got four good months with the Lilly-branded Zepbound. Then I had to shift to compounded tirzepatide for a few months due to a global shortage. Just for kicks–and because this is who I am–I had been doing research about the availability of tirzepatide in other countries. A planned UK trip sparked an idea: if tirzepatide was available there, could I access it? Initial research showed promise, but also complexity1.
Background
The UK operates two parallel healthcare systems: the National Health Service (NHS) and private medicine. While some of my British friends recoil at paying for healthcare, private clinics offer something valuable: direct access without the NHS waiting lists that sometimes arise. For Americans used to USA pricing, even the "expensive" private care in the UK often looks like a bargain.
The Approach
Pre-trip attempts to crack the system through online pharmacies hit a wall—they all wanted a UK-based GP's name, something I didn’t have. Fair enough. I shelved the project until I was actually in the UK, then took a methodical approach:
Located private clinics accepting international patients
Prepared documentation of my current treatment
Developed clear talking points:
Four months of successful treatment
Current US prescription
Supply chain issues at home
Scheduled a same-day appointment—with an out-of-pocket cost of £250
Making It Work
The real-world execution worked like clockwork:
The GP I met with in the UK asked me about my current treatment could see that I was actually in treatment and handling it well. I showed him my US prescription and described my experience. And I made it clear to him that a) I wasn’t trying to cheat any systems. Frankly, I wasn’t even looking to save money. It was 100% the fact that my medication was unavailable in the US due to the shortage.
Twenty minutes into the consultation, the GP offered a choice between three and six months' supply. He offered to up my dosage if I wanted. And he told me to come back when it was time for refils.
Here’s where the surprising bonus came in: the cost for a 3-month supply was £450 ($550). The £250 consultation fee—shocking to some of my British friends but routine by US standards, and reimbursable through my US health insurance—unlocked access to the medication at one-third of my US cost.
Private pharmacy delivery handled temperature control and proper packaging. A day later, I had three months of genuine Eli Lilly tirzepatide in hand.
Quick Start: The Five-Step UK Prescription Play
Results
The numbers tell the story:
Zepbound, US monthly cost: $550
UK quarterly cost: $180
Net savings over 3 months: $1,110
Cost of plane ticket: $800
(Out of pocket cost for the GP visit not factored in, since it was covered by my US insurance)
Hidden Benefits
I’m always looking for the extra benefits of the BTD work. Beyond just the immediate cost savings, I also got:
1. Access to international medical expertise
2. Backup supply chain during shortages (when I told people stuck in the USA Zepbound shortage about this project, it blew their minds)
3. First-hand experience with different healthcare systems
4. Template for future medical planning (full medical scan in Türkiye, anyone?)
Integrity Note:
Every step in this process operates within established medical and legal frameworks. No counterfeit products, no regulatory violations—just thoughtful use of existing systems.
Update: Six-Months Later—System Refinement
The system works even better the second time. Six months later, I needed my next supply during another UK trip. The process evolved:
Virtual Consultation: My UK GP scheduled a video call while I was still in the US (£175). Having an established relationship meant no re-explaining my case - just a standard check-in about dosage and any side effects.
Streamlined Ordering: The online pharmacy remembered my details. Order placed Tuesday, delivered Thursday to my London hotel in a temperature-controlled container.
Improved Logistics: Hotel delivery eliminates the "carrying medications around London" problem from trip one.
Refined Economics:
Virtual consultation: £175 ($215)
3-month supply: £450 ($550)
Total: £625 ($765)
US equivalent cost: $1,650
Net savings: $885 per quarter
The relationship-building aspect transforms this from a one-off hack into a sustainable healthcare solution.
Bougie Factor: 🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩
Combines travel optimization with healthcare access
Requires comfort navigating international cultures and medical systems
Adds global healthcare options to your portfolio
Tech Factor: ⚡⚡
Multiple system navigation
Supply chain optimization
Temperature-controlled transport
Is it worth it? 💰💰💰💰
Save enough to pay for a round trip ticket every three months.
The drug existed in the UK market, but under a single brand name (Mounjaro) for both diabetes and weight loss. Classic pharmaceutical system quirk.