FAQ
Questions before your first visit
The questions members and prospective members raise most often, in the order they usually come up, plus a few more below on logistics.
The questions people actually ask
Will I have to be on this medication forever?
The honest answer depends on where you’re starting from. If you’re starting with obesity or severe obesity, I won’t promise you a finish line. In the manufacturers’ own trials, people who stopped abruptly regained most of what they lost within a year, and I’d be lying if I told you otherwise. If you’re closer to the middle, twenty or thirty pounds, there can be a pathway off, and I’ve had members make it: we stretch the dose out gradually, then stop, and keep watching. Either way, you don’t stay at full intensity forever: when you hit your goal, you step down to a Maintenance plan. What I promise is the truth about which case you’re in, starting at the consult.
What does it actually cost, all-in?
Membership is $249 a month on Essential or $399 a month on Premium, and that covers your visits with me, your care plan, and direct access to me. Labs and other testing are billed separately, only when you need them. HSA/FSA cards are accepted. GLP-1 medication is not included and is billed separately; the price depends on which medication and dose you need, so we’ll walk through your exact all-in number on the consult before you commit to anything.
What states do you serve?
I’m licensed in California, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Arizona, and Georgia. Visits are by telemedicine. Premium members also see me in person four times a year, by appointment, at our La Jolla or Newport Beach office.
How do I get the medication?
You get it from a licensed pharmacy, not from me. I write the prescription and it’s filled and billed there. I prescribe brand-name, FDA-approved GLP-1s only. I don’t prescribe compounded versions: with a brand-name pen you know exactly what’s in it and exactly what dose you took, and that’s the whole basis for titrating against your labs.
Are the labs covered by insurance?
No. We don’t bill insurance for labs. They are not part of the membership fee either: they are billed separately, only when you need them.
How quickly can I actually reach you?
That depends on your plan. Essential members message me on weekdays, 10am to 5pm PT. Premium members reach me seven days a week, after hours included. That is part of what Premium buys. Either way you get a same-day reply, and either way you are messaging me, not a portal and not a care coordinator.
Why see you instead of my regular doctor?
Your PCP is important, and I work alongside them, not instead of them. The difference is focus and follow-up. A primary care visit has to cover everything. Obesity medicine is one of my board certifications, and every visit with me is about your metabolic health specifically: dosing, labs, body composition, and what’s actually changing. We check in every month, and between visits you message me directly, not a portal.
The next step is a conversation, not a commitment.
A few more questions
What conditions do you treat?
GLP-1-based weight loss, prescription weight management, and testosterone replacement therapy, in San Diego and Newport Beach. See the full services list for what's published in each city.
Do you accept insurance for membership?
No. Membership is billed directly, not through insurance. Labs are billed separately, and GLP-1 medication is billed separately by the pharmacy. HSA/FSA cards are accepted.
Do you offer in-person visits, or is everything virtual?
Visits are primarily telemedicine. Premium members are also seen in person four times a year, by appointment, at our La Jolla or Newport Beach office.
What happens at my first visit?
A full history and baseline labs, then a plan built around what they show. Body composition too, when it's available. From there it's the same loop every visit after: labs, a message to me directly, and a dose adjusted against your numbers.
How is this different from an online GLP-1 clinic?
Brand-name GLP-1s only, never compounded. Most online clinics don't commit to that. And you're messaging me, the physician, directly between visits, not a coordinator or a script-writing service.