Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
1st Optimal vs New Wave Health
Two GLP-1 programs on the bench, scored on the same six factors. Here's how their real cost of ownership compares — and which one we'd start with.
1st Optimal
Patients who want a named founding physician and a broader functional-medicine/hormone workup alongside GLP-1s.
Visit 1st OptimalNew Wave Health
Virginia residents and others who want provider-guided GLP-1 care with a whole-health plan around it and don't mind getting a quote first.
Visit New Wave HealthThe verdict
1st Optimal and New Wave Health tie on the Cost-Efficiency Index at 41/100, so neither wins outright on the numbers, so choose on fit. 1st Optimal: Patients who want a named founding physician and a broader functional-medicine/hormone workup alongside GLP-1s. New Wave Health: Virginia residents and others who want provider-guided GLP-1 care with a whole-health plan around it and don't mind getting a quote first.
Worth knowing either way: CoreAge Rx is one of our partners and leads our leaderboard, where partners are listed first (Cost-Efficiency Index 94/100). See how it stacks up: CoreAge Rx vs 1st Optimal.
Factor by factor
Both providers scored on our six Cost-Efficiency Index factors. The stronger side on each row is marked in teal.
Normalized Cost/Month
Price Transparency
Nationwide Access
Formulation Options
Clinical Oversight
Contract Flexibility
Pricing, coverage & formulary
The disclosed facts behind the scores. Lower price wins its row (teal).
| Spec | 1st Optimal | New Wave Health |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 41/100 | 41/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Tirzepatide / mo | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | — | — |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | — | — |
| Coverage | Coverage not published | Not published |
| Oral / sublingual | Yes | No |
| Brand-name access | Compounded only | Compounded only |
| Rank here | #589 | #596 |
1st Optimal
41/100Where the value is
- Named founder and clinical lead: Dr. Amber Miller, a functional medicine physician
- LegitScript verification badge displayed
- No credit card required to start the intake quiz
The tradeoffs
- No GLP-1 pricing published on its site
- No compounding pharmacy partner named
New Wave Health
41/100Where the value is
- Says pricing is flat, with no surprise fees and no surcharge when your dose changes
- Each plan comes with structured check-ins, a whole-health plan covering diet and movement, and direct messaging with your provider
- Offers semaglutide, tirzepatide and a lower-dose GLP-1 microdose program
The tradeoffs
- No program shows a price; the only figure is "plans from $139/mo", which isn't tied to a specific medication
- Doesn't say which states it serves beyond "Virginia and beyond"
Assume any provider we list may compensate us — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. It never changes the Cost-Efficiency Index. Pricing, states and verification reflect each provider's public disclosures at last review; prices change — confirm on the provider's site. Not medical advice. See our disclosure.