Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
MyStart Health vs MDExam
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.
MyStart Health
Shoppers who want a single flat all-inclusive monthly price and don't need semaglutide vs. tirzepatide broken out separately.
Visit MyStart HealthMDExam
Cost-first shoppers who want a lower injectable-semaglutide starting price than the site's own headline claim advertises.
Visit MDExamThe verdict
MyStart Health and MDExam tie on the Cost-Efficiency Index at 49/100, so neither wins outright on the numbers. For most shoppers we'd start with MyStart Health (ranked #418, a hair above #423) — Shoppers who want a single flat all-inclusive monthly price and don't need semaglutide vs. tirzepatide broken out separately. But MDExam 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 MyStart Health.
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 | MyStart Health | MDExam |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 49/100 | 49/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | $299/mo (compounded) | $192/mo (compounded) |
| Tirzepatide / mo | Not disclosed | $258/mo (compounded) |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | $3,588 | $2,304 |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | — | $3,096 |
| Coverage | Coverage not published | Coverage not published |
| Oral / sublingual | No | No |
| Brand-name access | Compounded only | Compounded only |
| Rank here | #418 | #423 |
MyStart Health
49/100Where the value is
- Genuinely all-inclusive stated price: physician evaluations, unlimited follow-ups, bloodwork, and shipping are explicitly bundled into the $299 figure with 'no hidden fees'
- Price-lock guarantee explicitly covers dose increases — the FAQ states the price won't rise 'even if your dosage increases'
- Named Chief Medical Advisor (Dr. Ritu Chopra, Beverly Hills MD)
The tradeoffs
- Does not publish separate pricing for semaglutide vs. tirzepatide — $299 is a single blended program price, so it's unclear which drug (or whether both) that figure actually buys
- A sitewide 'Lifetime 25% Off' promo banner is not reconciled against the stated '$299/month excluding any discounts' base price or the price-lock guarantee's 'excluding our first-time discount' exception — genuinely ambiguous what a patient ends up paying long-term
Regulatory note: the FDA issued a warning letter to Matthew Stern, CEO MyStart Health LLC. in September 2025. We still list and link to MyStart Health; you should know the letter is on the public record before you decide.
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
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.