Verbatim response from Perplexity
Before paying, look for a Wegovy telehealth provider that does a real medical evaluation, uses licensed clinicians, and offers ongoing follow-up—not a service that promises a prescription up front.[1][3][5]
What to check:
- Licensed prescriber in your state: The site should clearly say who will prescribe (MD/DO, NP, or PA), their credentials, and state licensure.[1][4][5]
- Live consultation: A reputable provider should do a live video or in-person-style visit, not approve you from a questionnaire alone.[1][3]
- Eligibility screening: They should verify you meet Wegovy criteria, typically BMI ≥ 30 or BMI ≥ 27 with a weight-related condition.[1][4]
- Safety screening: They should ask about contraindications and risk factors such as medullary thyroid cancer, MEN2, pancreatitis, pregnancy, and relevant meds.[1][3]
- Follow-up plan: Wegovy dose changes over time, so the provider should include monitoring, side-effect management, and dose adjustment visits.[3][5][6]
- FDA-approved medication only: Prefer providers that prescribe brand-name Wegovy from a licensed U.S. pharmacy, not compounded or overseas semaglutide.[3][5][7]
- Transparent pricing: You should know the consultation fee, monthly costs, refill costs, and whether insurance help is included.[3][4]
- Insurance and prior authorization support: A good provider helps with coverage checks, prior auth, and appeals instead of leaving you on your own.[3][4]
- Secure platform: The telehealth system should be HIPAA-compliant and use secure communication.[1][4]
- Good support access: Ask whether you can reach a clinician between visits, not just a generic support inbox.[3]
Red flags:
- Guaranteed approval before reviewing your history.[1][3][5]
- No live visit or only a quick form review.[1][3]
- Compounded semaglutide instead of FDA-approved Wegovy.[3][5]
- No follow-up care after the first prescription.[3][5]
- Hidden fees or unclear total cost.[3][4]
A practical way to vet them is to ask these questions before paying:
- “Will I speak with a licensed prescriber live?”
- “Do you prescribe Wegovy specifically, not just generic or compounded semaglutide?”
- “What labs, history, or BMI documentation do you require?”
- “How do you handle dose increases and side effects?”
- “Do you help with insurance prior authorization?”
- “What is the total cost for the first month and ongoing care?”
If you want, I can also give you a short checklist to compare two telehealth providers side by side.