Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
Tuyo Health vs Ascend Medical
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.
Tuyo Health
Shoppers who want a low advertised floor price and are willing to confirm the actual dose-tier cost before committing.
Visit Tuyo HealthAscend Medical
Cost-first shoppers who want georgia or Texas residents who want to bill GLP-1 treatment through insurance rather than pay cash-only compounded pricing.
Visit Ascend MedicalThe verdict
Tuyo Health and Ascend Medical tie on the Cost-Efficiency Index at 57/100, so neither wins outright on the numbers. For most shoppers we'd start with Tuyo Health (ranked #298, a hair above #299) — Shoppers who want a low advertised floor price and are willing to confirm the actual dose-tier cost before committing. But Ascend Medical 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 Tuyo 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 | Tuyo Health | Ascend Medical |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 57/100 | 57/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | $155/mo (starting dose, compounded) | Not disclosed |
| Tirzepatide / mo | $279/mo (starting dose, compounded) | $240/mo (starting dose, compounded) |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | $1,860 | — |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | $3,348 | $2,880 |
| Coverage | Coverage not published | 2 states |
| Oral / sublingual | No | No |
| Brand-name access | Yes | Yes |
| Rank here | #298 | #299 |
Tuyo Health
57/100Where the value is
- Quarterly lab work is explicitly bundled into the compounded-track price, unlike sites that omit lab monitoring entirely
- Offers both compounded and branded (insurance-eligible) tracks on the same platform
- LegitScript certified
The tradeoffs
- Both headline prices are explicit 'as low as' floors with no dose-tier table published — the real cost for a titrated-up dose is unknown from the site
- No compounding pharmacy or individual prescriber/medical director named anywhere on the page
Regulatory note: the FDA issued a warning letter to Tuyo Health, Inc. dba Tuyo Health in September 2025. We still list and link to Tuyo Health; you should know the letter is on the public record before you decide.
Ascend Medical
57/100Where the value is
- Can bill through insurance, potentially lowering out-of-pocket cost versus cash-only compounded programs
- No-subscription, pay-per-refill model after the initial 8-week package
- Named metabolic-health chair referenced on the clinical team
The tradeoffs
- Only available to Georgia and Texas residents -- not a national service
- Unclear whether medication is compounded or brand-name; no compounding pharmacy named
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.