Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
LillyDirect Foundayo vs MEDGm
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.
LillyDirect Foundayo
Patients who want an FDA-approved, manufacturer-direct oral GLP-1 rather than a compounded injectable.
Visit LillyDirect FoundayoMEDGm
Readers who want the dispensing pharmacies and the prescribing practices named, and who will price the second month rather than the first.
Visit MEDGmThe verdict
LillyDirect Foundayo takes it, leading the Cost-Efficiency Index 63 to 60. Foundayo is Eli Lilly's own first-party, FDA-approved oral GLP-1 (orforglipron). MEDGm still earns a C — Readers who want the dispensing pharmacies and the prescribing practices named, and who will price the second month rather than the first.
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 LillyDirect Foundayo.
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 | LillyDirect Foundayo | MEDGm |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 63/100 | 60/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | Not disclosed | $299/mo month-to-month (the advertised $179 is the first month only, after an automatically applied coupon) |
| Tirzepatide / mo | Not disclosed | $399/mo month-to-month (the advertised $279 is the first month only) |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | — | $3,588 |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | — | $4,788 |
| Coverage | All 50 states | All 50 states |
| Oral / sublingual | Yes | Yes |
| Brand-name access | Yes | Compounded only |
| Rank here | #186 | #193 |
LillyDirect Foundayo
63/100Where the value is
- First-party Eli Lilly program -- highest possible manufacturer authenticity
- FDA-approved branded drug (orforglipron), not an unapproved compounded formulation
- Published self-pay starting price ($149) via savings card
The tradeoffs
- Not semaglutide or tirzepatide -- a different molecule (orforglipron), so not directly comparable on this list
- The $149 price is tied to a specific Savings Card program with its own terms, not an unconditional list price
MEDGm
60/100Where the value is
- Names all four pharmacy partners in its terms, with street addresses, phone numbers and websites, and says which compounding classes they operate under
- Names seven prescribing professional corporations on its consent page rather than referring to an unnamed medical group
- Publishes the full ladder for three GLP-1 routes — injection, oral tablet and tirzepatide — at one, three, six and twelve months
The tradeoffs
- "Starting at $179" is a first-month rate produced by an automatically applied coupon; the standing month-to-month price is $299, and the same shape applies to the oral tablet and to tirzepatide
- The treatments FAQ says "your price never increases" on a plan whose price increases by $120 at the first renewal
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.