Reviewed against FDA prescribing information
Am I a GLP-1 candidate?
Walk down the 5 questions below. Each one either rules you out, flags a caveat, or moves you to the next. By the end, you have a specific recommended provider path — insurance route, cash-pay route, or alternative.
Question · Step 1
Is your BMI ≥30, or ≥27 with a comorbidity?
Comorbidities that qualify: type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, obstructive sleep apnea, NAFLD/MASH.
Ruled out · Step 2
If NO — GLP-1s are not FDA-approved at your BMI
Off-label prescribing is technically possible but most telehealth providers won't fulfill below the FDA-label threshold. Look at lifestyle interventions first.
Question · Step 3
Do you have any of these contraindications?
Personal or family history of MTC (medullary thyroid cancer) · MEN-2 syndrome · prior pancreatitis · severe GI motility disorder.
Ruled out · Step 4
If YES — GLP-1s are contraindicated
These are boxed warnings. No telehealth provider will prescribe in these cases. Consider alternatives — non-GLP-1 options like phentermine, Contrave, or bariatric surgery (consult with your PCP).
Question · Step 5
Are you actively trying to conceive or pregnant?
GLP-1s are not safe in pregnancy and the recommended washout before conception is 2 months for semaglutide, 1 month for tirzepatide.
Conditional · Step 6
If YES — pause GLP-1 plans, talk to OB/GYN
You can revisit GLP-1s after delivery (and after breastfeeding if applicable). Our PCOS guide covers the fertility-improving angle of GLP-1s before conception.
Question · Step 7
Do you have commercial insurance covering weight management?
Use our 4-step insurance checker to estimate coverage. ~50-60% of large-employer plans cover Wegovy/Zepbound in 2026; ~20% of small-employer plans do.
You qualify · Step 8
If YES — go the insurance route
Ro handles the prior auth in 48 hours and pivots between drugs if your plan denies the first one. Best path: cheapest copay + fastest start.
You qualify · Step 9
If NO — go the cash-pay route
Hims & Hers oral Wegovy at $149/mo is the cheapest brand-name FDA-approved path. Or Foundayo via LillyDirect if you want a daily pill, no injections.
Reached the end?
Your next 3 steps
- Run our insurance checker to confirm what your plan covers before you pick a provider — 4 questions, 60 seconds.
- Take the 60-second provider quiz to get matched — 6 questions. Result includes provider, drug, and cost path.
- Print the 30-question doctor checklist for your prescriber visit — printable checklist.