Mayo to launch weight loss drug telehealth service

The Mayo Clinic Diet, a weight loss program from the renowned health system in Rochester, Minnesota, is launching a telemedicine service called the Mayo Clinic Diet Medical Weight Loss Rx program. This program will provide direct access to weight loss medications, specifically GLP-1s, through video visits with clinicians from Amwell Medical Group. Additionally, the service includes lab testing to confirm medication suitability, clinical monitoring, insurance support, meal plan options, and coaching and education tools. The beta version of the program is currently available to qualifying members.

This move by Mayo Clinic follows a trend in the healthcare industry, with pharmaceutical companies like Eli Lilly launching websites for direct-to-consumer ordering of prescription drugs, including weight loss medications such as Zepbound. The demand for GLP-1s, FDA-approved for treating Type 2 diabetes and weight loss, has been on the rise. However, the cost of these medications, exceeding $10,000 per year without insurance, has led to limitations in coverage by payers and self-insured employers. 

Mayo Clinic, in 2024, began restricting coverage for weight loss drugs through its employee health plan, imposing a lifetime limit of $20,000 for weight loss medication coverage, although this limit doesn't apply to GLP-1s prescribed for diabetes in employees.