TeleSlim Clinic Review: Price, Pros & Cons

TeleSlim Clinic is a medical practice run by obesity medicine doctors, and it charges in two parts. You pay a subscription for the doctor care, and the medication is a separate cost. The subscription comes as monthly, three-month, six-month or annual packages, and longer packages lower the monthly cost. TeleSlim says medication can run anywhere from about $10 to $900 a month on top, depending on the drug and whether insurance covers it.

The catch is that TeleSlim's own pages don't agree on the subscription price. The homepage and the FAQ give different monthly figures, and no page prices compounded semaglutide or tirzepatide. Ask for a written quote of both the subscription and the medication before you book, and check whether the figure is per month or for the whole package.

You start with a 45-minute video consultation with a doctor, which is advertised at a reduced price for a limited time. If you're accepted as a patient, that fee counts toward your subscription. If you aren't, it isn't refunded. A free ten-minute call with a doctor and a short eligibility quiz are also offered before you pay.

TeleSlim's physicians are board certified in obesity medicine. Its site names founder and CEO Dr. Jihad Kudsi, chief medical officer Dr. Diala Alatassi and Dr. Katie Rosenfeld. They can prescribe compounded semaglutide or tirzepatide, brand-name Wegovy, Ozempic, Zepbound, Mounjaro and the Wegovy pill, and older drugs such as phentermine, Contrave, Qsymia and metformin.

Brand-name prescriptions usually go to a pharmacy you choose, and TeleSlim will check whether your insurance covers the drug. The practice itself doesn't bill insurance for its own fees. For compounded medication, it names Rush Pharmacy in Oviedo, Florida, as one of the pharmacies it works with.

Each subscription includes monthly follow-ups with your doctor. Weekly sessions with a dietitian and an exercise specialist are an add-on on the homepage but listed as included on the medications page, so ask which applies. HSA and FSA funds can be used for treatment and medication.

TeleSlim is based in Chicago and sees patients in six states: Illinois, Texas, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Michigan and Arizona. All visits happen online. If you live elsewhere, you can't sign up.

TeleSlim recommends staying in its program for at least a year, though its FAQ says you can cancel anytime. It doesn't publish a cancellation process or a refund policy beyond the consultation fee, so ask how to cancel and whether a prepaid package is refundable. One promise is specific: if insurance denies your medication and you decide not to pay for it yourself, you're charged only for the initial consultation, and subscription fees are refunded.

• Get the subscription price and the medication price in writing. They're separate charges.
• Confirm whether your prescription is compounded or brand-name, and which pharmacy fills it.
• Ask what canceling a three-, six- or twelve-month package early costs you.
• Compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide aren't FDA-approved.