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People who want to lose weight with a GLP-1 drug can choose from an ever-growing number of telehealth companies offering the medications online
To help consumers decide which option is best, U.S. News & World Report unveiled its first-ever ratings for the best telehealth platforms for GLP-1s on Wednesday, Aug. 12
About 11% of Americans now take a GLP-1 for weight loss, a new high
Most still get the medication from a primary care doctor or specialist, but 17% of those with a prescription use an online provider, a KFF poll found
Using a website can be convenient because it lets people skip in-person appointments, expanding access for those who have limited time or trouble getting to a doctor’s office, research has shown. But this approach has also sparked concern about the level of medical support patients receive from virtual visits
Some GLP-1 direct-to-consumer platforms offer “impersonal care that prioritizes quick prescriptions over comprehensive care,” Yale University experts cautioned in a research letter published in July in JAMA
One patient recently told TODAY she blamed a telehealth doctor for prescribing an incorrect dosage and causing a GLP-1 overdose that sent her to the hospital. She said the only communication with the online provider was done
Which GLP-1 Telehealth Companies Were Rated Highest?
To find the best telehealth platforms, U.S. News & World Report focused on 20 companies that offer online access to brand-name GLP-1 drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration such as Wegovy, Zepbound and Foundayo. Companies that only offer compounded GLP-1s were not included
Using a combination of research by U.S. News & World Report staff and customer surveys, the outlet then rated the platforms on six metrics: clinical support, screening rigor, transparency, insurance assistance, supplemental care and customer satisfaction
Customer ratings of those categories were taken into account based on a survey of 1,251 U.S. adults who used a GLP-1 from a telehealth platform in the past year
After crunching the numbers for the 2026-2027 rankings, these 11 companies achieved top ratings from U.S. News on a five-point scale, with 5 being the highest:
- Amazon One Medical, 4.8
- Found, 4.6
- Mochi Health, 4.4
- Ro, 4.4
- Noom, 4.3
- PlushCare, 4.1
- Fridays, 4.0
- Ivim Health, 4.0
- LifeMD, 4.0
- Remedy Meds, 3.9
- WeightWatchers, 3.9
Category Winners
The U.S. News & World Report ratings also included recognition for “individual standouts” in four categories on a five-point scale:
Best for Clinical Support
- Found, 4.9
This category covers the availability of video telehealth appointments with health providers; if the platform requires baseline blood work and offers side effect support, such as anti-nausea medication; and follow-up frequency and response time to patients’ inquiries
Best for Insurance Support
- Amazon One Medical, 4.9
Companies were rated on whether they accept insurance, flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts, and the availability of insurance concierge services
Best for Supplemental Support
- Noom, 4.9
This was based on whether patients have access to nutrition and diet support, an app with progress tracking and an online community
Best for Customer Satisfaction
- Ro, 4.9
This was determined by how patients rated their experiences, as well as their likelihood to recommend the company
How to Choose a Telehealth Company for GLP-1 Access
People who want to use a telehealth option to get GLP-1 drugs should choose a company where it’s easy to reach a medical professional, Dr. Fatima Syed, an associate professor of medicine at Duke University and a medical weight management specialist at Duke Health in Durham, North Carolina, previously told TODAY.com
“If you have a question, who do you ask? Who’s on call for you?” she said, advising patients find out the answer before signing up
“And that there’s clarity of communication, and really that you’re not alone at all in the journey.”
The challenges of weight loss with GLP-1 drugs include side effects like nausea; nutritional deficiencies as people eat less; and muscle and bone loss, according to a joint advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association and The Obesity Society
Patients who are prescribed a GLP-1 — whether in-person at a doctor’s office oran of care” that manages those challenges, plus offers nutritional and lifestyle counseling before, during and after the weight loss, the authors wrote
