PlushCare Weight Loss Reviews – Telehealth GLP-1 Provider for Insured Patients

PlushCare (plushcare.com) is a San Francisco-based telehealth platform offering FDA-approved GLP-1 weight loss medications prescribed by board-certified doctors with 15+ years of experience. With same-day appointments, 24/7 availability, and integration with major insurance carriers, PlushCare positions itself as a premium option for insured patients. However, the piecemeal pricing structure totals $1,050+/month without insurance, there are no compounded options, and 404 BBB complaints raise serious concerns about billing practices. Here's our complete analysis.

What Is PlushCare?

PlushCare is a general telehealth platform headquartered in San Francisco that connects patients with board-certified physicians for a wide range of medical needs—including weight loss. Unlike GLP-1-focused startups, PlushCare is a broad-spectrum virtual primary care service that also handles urgent care, mental health, chronic conditions, and preventive care. Weight loss is just one vertical in a larger healthcare platform.

The company has been BBB-accredited since 2014, giving it one of the longest operational track records in telehealth. Their doctors average 15+ years of clinical experience, which is significantly more than many newer GLP-1 telehealth providers. PlushCare also offers an Rx price finder tool to help patients locate the best pharmacy pricing for their prescriptions.

A critical distinction: PlushCare only prescribes FDA-approved, brand-name GLP-1 medications. There are no compounded semaglutide or tirzepatide options. This means patients are paying full retail or insurance-negotiated prices for medications like Wegovy ($1,300+/month retail) and Zepbound ($1,000+/month retail). For patients with good insurance coverage, this can be manageable. For self-pay patients, the costs are prohibitive.

What They Offer

• FDA-approved GLP-1 medications: Wegovy, Zepbound, Saxenda, Contrave, Xenical
• Board-certified doctors with 15+ years average experience
• Same-day appointments available
• 24/7 availability for scheduling
• Major insurance integration — accepted by most carriers
• Rx price finder tool to locate best pharmacy pricing
• Zepbound via LillyDirect at $299-$449/month (cash-pay program)
• Full-spectrum telehealth — primary care, urgent care, mental health
• No compounded medications — brand-name only

The Zepbound via LillyDirect option is worth noting. Eli Lilly's direct-to-consumer program offers Zepbound at $299-$449/month for patients without insurance coverage—a significant discount from the $1,000+ retail price. PlushCare can prescribe into this program, which provides a more affordable path to tirzepatide for self-pay patients who specifically want FDA-approved medication.

PlushCare Pricing

PlushCare's pricing is the most confusing part of their service. Unlike all-inclusive GLP-1 providers, PlushCare uses a piecemeal model where membership, consultations, labs, and medications are all billed separately. This makes it difficult to know your true monthly cost upfront.

To put this in perspective: CoreAge Rx charges $99/month all-inclusive for compounded semaglutide—that covers the consultation, medication, and shipping with no membership fees. PlushCare's total self-pay cost of $1,050+/month is more than 10x that amount. Even with the Zepbound via LillyDirect option at $299-$449/month plus membership and visit fees, you're looking at $350-$600+/month minimum—still 3.5x to 6x the cost of CoreAge Rx.

The only scenario where PlushCare becomes cost-competitive is with strong insurance coverage that covers both the visits and the medication. If your insurance covers Wegovy or Zepbound with a reasonable copay, PlushCare's experienced doctors and same-day availability become genuine advantages. Without insurance, the math simply doesn't work for most patients.

My Experience With PlushCare

I tested PlushCare to evaluate their weight loss services and see whether the premium pricing translates to a premium experience. Here's what I found:

Sign-Up and Booking

Signing up requires creating an account and selecting a membership plan at $19.99/month before you can book an appointment. The interface is polished and professional, and same-day appointments were available as advertised. The booking process itself was straightforward—select a time slot, enter your health information, and confirm.

The confusion starts immediately: the membership fee is presented as giving you "access to doctors," but it's actually just a platform fee. The doctor visit is an additional $129. Several BBB complaints describe patients signing up for the membership expecting it to include consultations, only to discover the visit fee at checkout. This billing structure feels intentionally opaque.

Consultation Quality

The consultation itself was the highlight of the experience. The doctor was thorough, asked detailed questions about medical history, current medications, and weight loss goals. With 15+ years of experience, there was a noticeable difference in clinical depth compared to newer telehealth providers where you might speak with a recently licensed NP. The doctor discussed medication options, potential side effects, and monitoring requirements in detail.

However, BBB reviews reveal this experience isn't universal. Multiple complaints describe doctors not showing up for scheduled appointments, rushed consultations, and difficulty getting follow-up care. One patient reported being charged for a missed appointment that the doctor failed to attend. The quality appears to depend heavily on which doctor you're assigned.

Prescription and Medication

After the consultation, the prescription was sent to a pharmacy of my choosing. This is where the cost reality hits: brand-name GLP-1 medications at retail pharmacy prices. Without insurance, you're looking at $900-$1,000+/month for Wegovy or Zepbound at most pharmacies. The Rx price finder tool helped identify some cost variations between pharmacies, but the savings were marginal.

PlushCare doesn't ship medication directly—they write prescriptions that you fill at your own pharmacy. This adds an extra step compared to providers that handle everything end-to-end. For insured patients, this is fine since you'd use your preferred pharmacy anyway. For self-pay patients, it means dealing with sticker shock at the pharmacy counter.

Billing and Cancellation

This is where PlushCare's biggest problems emerge. The BBB has logged 404 complaints, with billing issues being the most common theme. Multiple patients report their $19.99/month membership continuing to charge after cancellation. Others describe unexpected charges for visits they believed were covered by the membership. The auto-renewal billing practices have generated significant customer frustration.

Pros and Cons

Is PlushCare Legit?

Yes, PlushCare is a legitimate telehealth provider with a long track record. BBB-accredited since 2014, they are one of the most established telehealth platforms in the United States. The company uses board-certified physicians with significant clinical experience, and they only prescribe FDA-approved medications—eliminating any concerns about compounded medication quality.

That said, the 3.4 Trustpilot rating across 2,578 reviews is mediocre by telehealth standards. Many negative reviews center on billing practices rather than medical quality. The 404 BBB complaints are a significant volume—substantially more than most telehealth competitors—and the recurring themes of billing after cancellation, insurance confusion, and membership misunderstandings suggest systemic issues with their business model rather than isolated incidents.

The B+ BBB rating (rather than A or A+) reflects these complaint patterns. PlushCare responds to complaints and has resolved many of them, which is positive. But the sheer volume indicates that their piecemeal pricing and auto-renewal membership model creates predictable customer friction.

• BBB-accredited since 2014 — B+ rating
• 3.4/5 Trustpilot rating across 2,578 reviews
• 404 BBB complaints — primarily billing and cancellation issues
• Board-certified physicians with 15+ years experience
• FDA-approved medications only — no compounding concerns
• San Francisco-based with established corporate presence

Who Is PlushCare Best For?

PlushCare is best for patients with good insurance coverage who want FDA-approved GLP-1 medications from experienced doctors. If your insurance covers Wegovy or Zepbound with a reasonable copay, PlushCare's same-day availability, experienced physicians, and insurance integration create a streamlined path to treatment. The $19.99/month membership and ~$30 insured visit fee become minor costs when insurance handles the medication expense.

PlushCare also makes sense for patients who specifically want brand-name, FDA-approved medications rather than compounded alternatives. Some patients and physicians prefer the consistency and regulatory oversight of FDA-approved drugs, and PlushCare caters directly to that preference. The experienced doctors can also manage complex cases that newer telehealth NPs might not handle as confidently.

PlushCare is NOT a good fit if: You're a self-pay patient (the $1,050+/month total is prohibitive), you want the lowest possible price (CoreAge Rx is $99/month all-inclusive), you prefer compounded GLP-1 medications, or you want an all-inclusive pricing model with no billing surprises. The piecemeal cost structure and 404 BBB complaints about billing make it a risky choice for cost-conscious patients.

Final Verdict: Is PlushCare Worth It?

PlushCare only makes sense for patients with good insurance coverage. For self-pay patients, the math is simply untenable—$1,050+/month compared to $99/month at CoreAge Rx for the same active ingredient (semaglutide).

The platform has genuine strengths: experienced board-certified doctors, same-day availability, a long operational track record, and FDA-approved medications. These are real differentiators that matter to insured patients who prioritize clinical experience and regulatory-approved drugs. If your insurance covers GLP-1 medications with manageable copays, PlushCare is a reasonable choice.

However, the 404 BBB complaints cannot be ignored. The recurring themes of billing after cancellation, confusing membership fees, and doctor no-shows indicate systemic problems that affect the overall patient experience. The 3.4 Trustpilot rating further confirms that satisfaction is mixed. If you do use PlushCare, monitor your billing statements closely and confirm cancellation in writing.

My recommendation: If you have insurance that covers GLP-1 medications, PlushCare is a viable option—just watch the billing carefully. For everyone else, CoreAge Rx at $99/month all-inclusive is the clear winner. The 10x price difference for self-pay patients is simply too large to justify, regardless of doctor experience or FDA-approved status.

The Bottom Line

PlushCare is a legitimate, established telehealth platform with experienced doctors and FDA-approved GLP-1 medications. For insured patients, it can be a solid choice. For self-pay patients, the $1,050+/month total cost makes it one of the most expensive options available. With 404 BBB complaints and a 3.4 Trustpilot rating, the patient experience is inconsistent. CoreAge Rx at $99/month remains our top recommendation for anyone paying out of pocket.