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PlushCare at a Glance
- What it is
- The cheapest membership in telehealth at $19.99, built entirely around billing your insurance — and candid that the drug costs about $1,000 without it
- Medication type
- Brand-name (FDA-approved) only
- Medications offered
- Zepbound (tirzepatide) and Wegovy (semaglutide)
- Saxenda (liraglutide)
- Contrave (naltrexone/bupropion) and Xenical (orlistat)
- Mounjaro, Ozempic, Victoza, Rybelsus and metformin, prescribed off-label for weight where appropriate
- Pricing
- $19.99/mo membership with first month free; visits billed to insurance (most pay $30 or less) or $129 uninsured — medication separate
- Insurance
- The entire point of the service, and the best-value insurance route in this comparison. Visits are billed to your plan, most in-network patients pay $30 or less, major carriers are named, and prior authorisation assistance is included in a $19.99 membership rather than a $149 one.
- Date reviewed
- August 7, 2026
How we scored it
Scores follow the published rubric in our provider comparison methodology.
Medical Disclaimer
We're not doctors, and this review is not medical advice. GLP-1 medications are prescription-only and require evaluation by a licensed healthcare provider. What works for one person may not work for another, and only a clinician who knows your history can determine whether a medication is appropriate for you. See our full medical disclaimer.
What Is PlushCare?
PlushCare is a primary-care telehealth service where weight management is one specialty among many, and its membership is by far the cheapest in this comparison — $19.99/month, with the first month free, against $79 to $149 elsewhere.
The model assumes insurance and is built around it. PlushCare bills visits to your plan, states most patients with in-network insurance pay $30 or less per visit, names major carriers including Aetna, Humana and Cigna, and — the part that earns its fee — provides prior authorisation assistance, with PA typically taking seven to fourteen business days. Getting a GLP-1 authorised is the single hardest administrative task in this market, and PlushCare does it as part of a $19.99 membership.
It prescribes FDA-approved medication only, and its formulary is broader than most: Zepbound, Wegovy and Saxenda for weight management, Contrave and Xenical as non-GLP-1 options, and Mounjaro, Ozempic, Victoza, Rybelsus and metformin prescribed off-label where a clinician judges it appropriate. No compounded medication at all.
Its honesty about cost is genuinely unusual. PlushCare states that GLP-1s "usually cost about $1000 per month out of pocket" without coverage — the same candour Everlywell shows, and the opposite of the industry norm. It offers an Rx discount card reported to save 7–20%, which does not change that arithmetic much. Uninsured, an initial visit is $129 and this is not the right service for you.
How the Program Works
- Consultation process
- Video visits with board-certified primary care physicians, booked through the membership. Visits are billed to insurance where you have it, or $129 for an initial visit if you do not.
- Eligibility
- Clinician-assessed against the FDA-approved indications for the medications prescribed, which is a narrower and more conservative basis than compounded providers work to.
- Provider involvement
- Board-certified primary care physicians conduct visits and prescribe, with unlimited care-team messaging and ongoing monitoring included. Because this is a primary-care service, the clinician can see your wider health picture rather than weight alone.
- Lab requirements
- Lab tests are available at a discount through the membership rather than included in it — worth noting, since being able to get bloods done cheaply matters given the nutrient gaps documented on these medications.
- Pharmacy fulfillment
- Prescriptions go to your own pharmacy and are billed through your pharmacy benefit. PlushCare does not dispense, so you can shop the price yourself.
- Shipping frequency
- Set by whichever pharmacy fills your prescription.
- Support services
- Online booking, unlimited care-team messaging, ongoing monitoring, discounted lab tests, an Rx discount card, and prior authorisation assistance.
PlushCare Pricing
- Membership fee
- $19.99/month, with the first month free. Cancel at any time. This is the cheapest membership in this comparison by a wide margin.
- Medication fee
- Not included and not billed by PlushCare. Medication goes through your pharmacy benefit. PlushCare states GLP-1s usually cost about $1,000 per month out of pocket without coverage, and offers an Rx discount card reported to save 7–20%.
- Cancellation policy
- Cancel at any time. The first month is free, so the practical risk of trying it is close to zero.
- Refund policy
- PlushCare states that if it is unable to treat you, it provides a full refund — excluding medication and lab costs. That is a clearer commitment than most providers here make.
- Insurance
- The entire point of the service, and the best-value insurance route in this comparison. Visits are billed to your plan, most in-network patients pay $30 or less, major carriers are named, and prior authorisation assistance is included in a $19.99 membership rather than a $149 one.
- HSA / FSA
- Medical visits and prescriptions are commonly HSA/FSA-eligible. Confirm the membership fee with your administrator.
Pricing details worth knowing
- The membership buys clinical access and, crucially, prior authorisation assistance — not medication.
- Uninsured, an initial visit is $129 and the medication is roughly $1,000 a month. This service is built for insured patients.
- Prior authorisation typically takes seven to fourteen business days. Start before you need the prescription.
- Lab tests are discounted rather than included, which is a distinction worth knowing.
- The formulary includes non-GLP-1 options — Contrave, Xenical and metformin — which are far cheaper if a GLP-1 is not covered for you.
Prices change. Every figure above was taken from PlushCare's published pages or the named sources at the bottom of this review, as of August 7, 2026. Telehealth pricing in this market changes frequently, and promotional rates expire. Confirm your actual cost at checkout before enrolling.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- By far the cheapest membership here at $19.99/month, with the first month free
- Prior authorisation assistance included — the hardest administrative task in this market
- FDA-approved medication only, so insurance can genuinely apply
- A broad formulary including non-GLP-1 options for people a GLP-1 will not suit or cover
- Board-certified primary care physicians who can see your wider health picture
- States plainly that GLP-1s cost about $1,000 a month without coverage
- Full refund if it cannot treat you, and cancel at any time
Cons
- Built for insured patients — uninsured, an initial visit is $129 and the medication is roughly $1,000
- Medication cost is entirely outside the membership and outside PlushCare's control
- Lab tests are discounted rather than included
- Prior authorisation can take seven to fourteen business days
- No compounded option, so it cannot compete at the low cash price points
- Does not publish the states it serves
Who PlushCare May Be Best For
Insured patients who want an FDA-approved GLP-1 covered and need help with prior authorisation — this is the cheapest route to that by a wide margin
Anyone who wants a primary-care relationship rather than a single-purpose weight service
People for whom a non-GLP-1 medication may be appropriate, since Contrave, Xenical and metformin are all on the formulary
Limitations
If you are uninsured, this is not your service. A $129 visit plus roughly $1,000 a month for medication is the worst cash-pay maths in this comparison — look at NovoCare, LillyDirect or a compounded provider instead.
Start the prior authorisation early. Seven to fourteen business days is the typical wait, and it can go longer.
The membership does not include labs. Given the nutrient shortfalls documented on these medications, ask what the discounted lab pricing actually is.
Approval is never guaranteed. Ask what happens to your membership if coverage is denied.
Alternatives to PlushCare
Found
The strongest insurance navigation here, though at $99–$149/mo with a six-month commitment
Read review →Ro
A dedicated insurance concierge at $149/mo with no commitment term
Read review →NovoCare Pharmacy
If you are uninsured — Wegovy at $149/mo direct, with no membership at all
Read review →vs. CoreAge RX, our top-rated platform
Across the platforms we've reviewed, CoreAge RX remains our highest-rated option for cash-pay patients, with compounded semaglutide from $99/month and tirzepatide from $149/month including free two-day shipping. Whether it beats PlushCare for you depends on the things this review has covered — insurance, medication type, and how much support you actually want.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does PlushCare cost?
The membership is $19.99/month with the first month free — the cheapest in this comparison. Visits are billed to your insurance, and PlushCare states most patients with in-network insurance pay $30 or less. Without insurance, an initial visit is $129. Medication is entirely separate and goes through your pharmacy benefit; PlushCare states GLP-1s usually cost about $1,000 a month out of pocket without coverage.
Does PlushCare help with prior authorisation?
Yes, and it is the main reason to use it. Prior authorisation is the hardest part of getting a GLP-1 covered, and PlushCare includes assistance with it in a $19.99 membership — where competitors charge $99 to $149 for comparable support. It typically takes seven to fourteen business days, so start before you need the medication in hand.
Is PlushCare any good if I do not have insurance?
No, and we would say so plainly. The whole model is built on billing your plan. Uninsured you would pay $129 for an initial visit and then roughly $1,000 a month for medication at list price — PlushCare says so itself. Its Rx discount card is reported to save 7–20%, which does not change the picture. If you are paying cash, NovoCare publishes Wegovy at $149/month and compounded providers start under $100.
Does PlushCare prescribe compounded semaglutide?
No. PlushCare prescribes FDA-approved medications only — Zepbound, Wegovy, Saxenda, Contrave and Xenical, plus Mounjaro, Ozempic, Victoza, Rybelsus and metformin prescribed off-label where clinically appropriate. That means no compounding questions, and it means insurance can actually apply, which is the point of the service.
What if a GLP-1 is not covered for me?
This is where PlushCare's broader formulary helps more than most. Contrave, Xenical and metformin are all older, far cheaper medications that a clinician may consider if a GLP-1 is unaffordable or not covered. Most GLP-1 telehealth services cannot offer you anything in that situation; a primary-care service can.
Who should not use PlushCare?
Anyone without insurance, and anyone looking for the lowest cash price. Anyone who wants medication dispensed and shipped rather than sent to a pharmacy. Separately, GLP-1 medications are not appropriate if you have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2, if you are pregnant or trying to conceive, or if you have had pancreatitis. A licensed clinician who knows your history should decide.
The Verdict
PlushCare charges $19.99/month with the first month free, bills visits to your insurance where most in-network patients pay $30 or less, and handles prior authorisation for you. It prescribes FDA-approved medication only and states plainly that GLP-1s usually cost about $1,000 a month without coverage. Uninsured, an initial visit is $129 and the model does not work.
Opens PlushCare's official site · Verify current pricing there
Compare Every Provider Side by Side
See how PlushCare stacks up against every platform we've reviewed on price, medication type, and what's actually included.
How We Researched This Review
We compiled this review on August 7, 2026 from PlushCare's own published pages plus independent reporting. We have not signed up for this service ourselves, and we say so rather than implying firsthand testing. Where PlushCare does not publish a detail — refund terms, lab requirements, pharmacy partners — we've said that plainly instead of guessing.
Sources
- plushcare.com/weight-loss — $19.99/month membership with first month free; visits billed to insurance with most in-network patients paying $30 or less; $129 for initial visits without insurance; medication not included and stated to "usually cost about $1000 per month out of pocket"; Rx discount card reported to save 7–20% (checked August 7, 2026)
- plushcare.com/weight-loss — medications prescribed: Zepbound, Wegovy, Saxenda, Contrave, Xenical, plus Mounjaro, Ozempic, Victoza, Rybelsus and metformin off-label; no compounded medications offered
- plushcare.com/weight-loss — board-certified primary care physicians, unlimited care-team messaging, ongoing monitoring, lab tests available at a discount, prior authorisation assistance with PA typically taking 7–14 business days; insurance accepted with major carriers including Aetna, Humana and Cigna
- plushcare.com/weight-loss — "Cancel anytime", and a full refund if PlushCare is unable to treat you, excluding medication and lab costs
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