Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
1st Optimal vs Teladoc 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 OptimalTeladoc Health
Patients whose employer or insurance plan already includes Teladoc Health's GLP-1 program -- not a fit for cash-pay shoppers comparing prices.
Visit Teladoc HealthThe verdict
1st Optimal and Teladoc Health tie on the Cost-Efficiency Index at 41/100, so neither wins outright on the numbers. For most shoppers we'd start with 1st Optimal (ranked #518, a hair above #522) — Patients who want a named founding physician and a broader functional-medicine/hormone workup alongside GLP-1s. But Teladoc Health is a genuine coin-flip alternative here.
Worth knowing either way: our overall #1 pick is CoreAge Rx (Cost-Efficiency Index 94/100 — the top of the ranking). 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 | Teladoc 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 | Coverage not published |
| Oral / sublingual | Yes | No |
| Brand-name access | Compounded only | Compounded only |
| Rank here | #518 | #522 |
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 anywhere on the public site
- No compounding pharmacy partner named
Teladoc Health
41/100Where the value is
- Backed by a large, publicly traded, well-established telehealth infrastructure
- GLP-1 program integrated into a broader virtual weight-management and primary-care offering
- Self-pay fallback is mentioned as theoretically available if insurance doesn't cover the drug
The tradeoffs
- No direct-to-consumer cash-pay pricing published anywhere -- access requires an employer/insurance sponsor
- Not usable by an individual cash-pay shopper simply comparing GLP-1 prices online
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.