Pros
Improves blood sugar, with average 2.3% reduction in HA1C
Average loss of 15% of body weight when combined with diet and exercise
Reduces appetite and improves insulin resistance
Works great with low-carb, high-protein diets
Welcome to your weight management program with PlushCare!
Guiding you through your weight loss journey
What to expect after your first visit
Discuss your health history, health goals, and past treatments with your doctor for personalized metabolic health recommendations.
Common weight loss medications
Check with your insurance provider to determine which medications are covered under your plan.
FDA-approved weight loss medications
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves several weight loss medicines for treating overweight or obesity.
Please note: Phentermine and Qsymia (Phentermine / Topiramate) are controlled substances and cannot be prescribed at PlushCare. Learn more about how weight loss medications work.
FDA-approved for the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes
The following medications are recommended for individuals with Type 2 Diabetes:
What are the pros and cons?
Mounjaro®
Cons
No long-term safety data yet
Gastrointestinal side effects are commonly reported
May cause reactions at injection site
Regular monitoring of kidney function is needed
What are the pros and cons?
Ozempic®
Pros
Average of 12% of body weight loss with exercise and diet
Significantly lowers blood glucose levels (1.8% A1C reduction)
Works great with low-carb, low-calorie eating and daily moderate exercise
Cons
Only indicated for type 2 diabetes
Insurance may require prior authorization for each dose increase
Requires ongoing use and lifestyle changes for sustained A1C improvement
What are the pros and cons?
Saxenda®
Pros
FDA-approved for weight loss and type 2 diabetes
Once-a-day injection and easy to stop if there are side effects
Average of 5-9% of body weight loss with diet and exercise
Works great with low-carb, low-calorie eating and daily moderate exercise
Cons
Frequent injections needed
More complicated to travel with this medication
Requires ongoing use for sustained benefits
May cause gastrointestinal discomfort
What are the pros and cons?
Wegovy®
Pros
Can help reduce appetite and calorie intake
Convenient dosing with once-a-week injection
Lose an average of 12% of body weight with diet and exercise over roughly 1 year
Cons
May be expensive without insurance coverage
Prior authorization may be required with each dose increase
Can take a long time for side effects to wear off if you experience them
What are the pros and cons?
Zepbound™
Pros
Convenient weekly dosing
Works well with healthy lifestyle modifications
Potentially lowers blood pressure and reduces cholesterol
Cons
Long-term safety data not yet known
Risk of injection site reactions
Associated with potential gastrointestinal side effects
Completing your lab work
After your first appointment, lab work is required to understand your health, determine which medications are safe for you, and allow us to personalize your diet and exercise goals.
Which labs are required?
Labs may include Lipids, CBC, CMP, TSH, HA1C, fasting insulin, height, weight, and blood pressure.
How much will these lab tests cost?
The cost of these labs may differ depending on your insurance coverage. Some insurance plans cover the cost of these labs and some may not. If you elect not to use your insurance for the labs, PlushCare has a discounted cash rate option with Quest Diagnostics and basic weight management labs are $105.
If you are interested in the discounted cash rate option (i.e. not going through your insurance), please let your physician know that you want to do the discounted cash rate option before they order your labs as you will need to obtain a prepaid lab slip prior to going to the Quest Diagnostics.
Where can I complete my labs?
All of the lab tests we order through our system default to Quest Laboratory Services. If you need to complete your labs elsewhere, please contact your Care Team before scheduling a lab appointment.
How do I prepare for my lab tests?
Please fast for 12 hours before the blood tests. You may drink water, but please avoid black coffee or tea. If you’re taking Biotin, stopping for 3 days before the lab tests is best, as it can change your TSH results.
How long after completing my labs will my results be ready?
Results may take up to 3-5 business days. If you have done your labs and have not heard from us within 5 days, please email or call us to let us know your labs have been done.
What if I’ve recently completed these labs?
If you have completed all the required labs within the past 2 months, please upload your labs when you check in for your second appointment.
Learn more about the importance of lab tests for weight management.
Verifying your insurance coverage
Contact your insurance company to verify which medication options are covered under your insurance plan and ask if they require prior authorization. Knowing what your plan covers will help you and your doctor identify the best treatment option.
Please note: if your insurance requires a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes for coverage of certain medications but you are not a type 2 diabetic, we cannot put in a diagnosis for type 2 diabetes.
3 questions everyone should ask their insurance:
Is this covered under my plan or is there a plan exclusion for weight loss medications?
Does the medication require a certain diagnosis for approval? (i.e. type 2 diabetes)
Does your insurance company require that we submit a PA?
What if I have a BMI of >27 and one weight-related medical condition, or a BMI of >30?
You should ask about the following FDA approved weight loss medications based on your underlying medical conditions:
What if I have Type 2 Diabetes?
You should ask about the following FDA approved diabetes medications with additional weight loss benefits:
How much will weight loss medication cost?
Prices vary depending on the medication type, and whether or not you use insurance to pay for it. Most branded weight loss medications require prior authorization in order for insurance to cover the cost. We recommend checking with your insurance to see if these weight loss medications are covered as they usually cost about $1000 per month out of pocket. With our in-app Rx Discount Card, patients have saved from 7-20% on these medications.
Can I use insurance for weight loss medication?
Yes, we are in network with most major insurance providers.
However, most branded weight loss medications require prior authorization in order for insurance to cover the cost. Your PlushCare physician and care team will reach out to your insurer on your behalf, and this process can take several business days. If you are denied the prior authorization or do not have health insurance, you may still purchase the medication at the full cash price.
What to expect after your second visit
During your second visit, your doctor will review your lab results, discuss medication options based on your medical conditions and cost, and help you set initial diet and exercise goals. If medications are recommended, your doctor will send a prescription at the end of this visit.
Medication Shortages
Medication shortages for weight loss medications like GLP-1 agonists occur due to a variety of reasons and can contribute to intermittent availability issues. Please note that while we have no control over medication supply, we do closely monitor availability.
As of November 2023:
Wegovy’s® manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, now anticipates that limited availabilities of 0.25mg, 0.5mg, and 1mg dosage pens will last into 2024.They do not anticipate shortages of 1.7mg or 2.4mg dosage pens.
Ozempic® has limited supply of the 2.0 mg pens
Saxenda® (liraglutide pen) anticipates limited availability until the end of 2023 and beyond.
If your Wegovy® or Ozempic® dose is not available at your pharmacy AND it is currently on the FDA shortage list, you may be eligible to receive compounded medication until the medications are no longer on the FDA shortage list.
Please see the section below on compounded semaglutide and discuss with your doctor to see if compounded medications are right for you.
Compounded Semaglutide
Semaglutide is made and distributed by the pharmaceutical company that makes Ozempic® and Wegovy® and comes in the form of an injection pen.
Compounded Semaglutide Overview
Compounded semaglutide is only made possible if the medication is in shortage. If those branded medications, Ozempic® and Wegovy®, are no longer on the FDA shortage list, compounded semaglutide will no longer be available. Compounded forms of semaglutide are not FDA approved. They usually come in a vial with syringes and are not covered by insurance. PlushCare offers compounded semaglutide for $299 per month. Patients can submit the cost for reimbursement through their HSA/FSA, but we do not currently accept these cards for the cost of the compounded semaglutide.
Not every compounding pharmacy is the same and there may be variations of compounded medications per pharmacy. With our preferred compounding pharmacy, the compounded semaglutide is the exact molecular copy of the semaglutide base. The compounded semaglutide from our preferred pharmacy is not a salt form of semaglutide. The authenticity and potency of the compounded semaglutide from our preferred pharmacy are verified by an outside lab as well.
If your physician prescribed you compounded semaglutide due to the shortage of Ozempic® and Wegovy®, please review these patient instructions for more information regarding dosing and administration of your medication.PlushCare Compounded Semaglutide Dosing information
Each vial expires 28 days after opening the vial and for safety reasons, any remainder after the 28 days should be discarded.
The starting dose of this medication is 0.25mg subQ once per week, for 4 weeks. The medication can't be taken more frequently than once every 7 days.
It’s important to follow the titration schedule outlined by your doctor. It will help reduce the chance of side effects and help your body safely adjust to the medication. Your dose cannot be increased more frequently than once every 4 weeks. Sometimes the dose does not need to be increased or is increased more slowly. Please do NOT increase the dose of medication on your own. You should see your doctor each month to determine if it's safe to increase and appropriate to increase to the next dose.
For any issues regarding medication administration issues (i.e. what happens if the medication is stored improperly, vial malfunction, etc), please contact Strive pharmacy directly at 480-626-4366.
Please note: As of 1/4/24, prescriptions for compounded semaglutide are currently limited to residents in the following states: AZ, CA, CO, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, KS, MA, MD, ME, MO, MT, ND, NE, NH, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, TN, TX, UT, WA, WY.
Compounded semaglutide is only available as an alternative to branded Ozempic® and Wegovy® as long as they remain on the FDA drug shortages list. If those branded medications are no longer on the FDA shortage list, compounded semaglutide will no longer be available. Although compounded semaglutide is not FDA-approved, our pharmacy provider complies with pertinent federal and state laws and FDA regulations. Prescriptions are provided at the doctor’s discretion.
Learn more about our controlled substances policy.
Common Weight Loss Medication FAQs
What to expect after your third visit and beyond
After starting treatment, you’ll meet with your doctor monthly to discuss your progress, adjust medications as needed, and set new diet and exercise goals.
We're excited to help you take the first steps to live a longer, healthier, and happier life.