Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
MDExam vs TeleWellnessMD
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.
MDExam
Cost-first shoppers who want a lower injectable-semaglutide starting price than the site's own headline claim advertises.
Visit MDExamTeleWellnessMD
Cost-first shoppers who want not recommended based on headline pricing alone -- always price out the Month 4-5+ maintenance dose before comparing.
Visit TeleWellnessMDThe verdict
MDExam and TeleWellnessMD tie on the Cost-Efficiency Index at 49/100, so neither wins outright on the numbers. For most shoppers we'd start with MDExam (ranked #423, a hair above #426) — Cost-first shoppers who want a lower injectable-semaglutide starting price than the site's own headline claim advertises. But TeleWellnessMD 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 MDExam.
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 | MDExam | TeleWellnessMD |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 49/100 | 49/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | $192/mo (compounded) | $349/mo (0.25 mg dose, compounded) |
| Tirzepatide / mo | $258/mo (compounded) | $679/mo (2.5 mg dose, compounded) |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | $2,304 | $4,188 |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | $3,096 | $8,148 |
| Coverage | Coverage not published | Coverage not published |
| Oral / sublingual | No | No |
| Brand-name access | Compounded only | Compounded only |
| Rank here | #423 | #426 |
MDExam
49/100Where the value is
- Injectable semaglutide at $192/mo undercuts the company's own advertised '$225 as low as' floor
- Accepts insurance for eligible patients in addition to cash-pay options
- 100% refund offered if a patient doesn't qualify after evaluation
The tradeoffs
- The site's own headline claim ('priced as low as $225/month') doesn't match either actual product price — tirzepatide at $258/mo is more expensive than the claimed floor, which should make a shopper distrust the headline number generally
- No specific dose is disclosed for either the $192 or $258 figure, making it impossible to know what's actually being compared
TeleWellnessMD
49/100Where the value is
- Broad GLP-1/GIP product catalog with add-on B-vitamin combination options
- Nationwide state-selector covers all 50 states plus Puerto Rico (with unspecified exceptions)
- Transparent month-by-month price table is at least published in full, not hidden behind a quote wall
The tradeoffs
- Headline prices ($199.95 / $279.95) are lowest-starter-dose only, not the real maintenance cost
- Maintenance-dose pricing is 75-140% higher than the advertised entry price
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.