Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
Zera Health vs LumiMeds
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.
Zera Health
Shoppers who want a named 503A pharmacy and full 50-state coverage at a moderate compounded price.
Visit Zera HealthLumiMeds
Shoppers willing to prepay a longer term to chase the lowest advertised rate, and who value a named, board-certified medical director.
Visit LumiMedsThe verdict
Zera Health takes it, leading the Cost-Efficiency Index 61 to 60. Zera Health (zerahealth.org) is a cash-pay telehealth platform selling compounded semaglutide, tirzepatide, a lower-cost microdose tier, and an oral GLP-1 tablet option, dispensed through Strive Pharmacy (503A). LumiMeds still earns a C — Shoppers willing to prepay a longer term to chase the lowest advertised rate, and who value a named, board-certified medical director.
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 Zera 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 | Zera Health | LumiMeds |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 61/100 | 60/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | Not disclosed | $99/mo (starting dose, 12-month plan, compounded) |
| Tirzepatide / mo | Not disclosed | $183/mo (starting dose, prepay plan, compounded) |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | — | $1,188 |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | — | $2,196 |
| Coverage | All 50 states | Coverage not published |
| Oral / sublingual | Yes | No |
| Brand-name access | Compounded only | Compounded only |
| Rank here | #240 | #243 |
Zera Health
61/100Where the value is
- Named dispensing pharmacy — Strive Pharmacy, a 503A compounder — disclosed in the footer
- LegitScript Certified badge displayed
- Stated coverage across all 50 states with no exclusions found
The tradeoffs
- The advertised '$149' semaglutide price is explicitly a first-month-only rate; the standing price is $179/mo
- Tirzepatide's '$199/mo' figure has no first-month/standing clarifier on the page, unlike semaglutide, so it's unclear if it will also step up after month one
LumiMeds
60/100Where the value is
- Named, credentialed Medical Director (Dr. Teresa Walsh, M.D., board certified in obesity medicine, licensed in all 50 states) rather than an anonymous 'board-certified physicians' claim
- LegitScript Certified and HIPAA compliant
- No membership requirement or subscription fee stated separately from the medication price
The tradeoffs
- Both headline prices are explicitly 'as low as' figures across monthly/3/6/12-month options, and the site does not publish what the plain month-to-month rate is versus the prepay-discounted floor — the true standalone monthly cost could not be confirmed
- Compounded medications are, by the site's own disclosure, 'not FDA-approved and have not been evaluated for safety and effectiveness by the FDA'
Regulatory note: the FDA issued a warning letter to Lumimeds in September 2025. We still list and link to LumiMeds; you should know the letter is on the public record before you decide.
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.