Warehouse retailer Costco is expanding its healthcare footprint by offering a comprehensive weight loss service to its members across all 50 states with a three-month subscription starting at $179.
The program is run through digital healthcare marketplace Sesame and represents an expansion of Costco’s partnership with the startup, first announced last September.
Sesame’s healthcare marketplace connects thousands of outpatient providers across the U.S. with consumers and focuses on lowering costs, providing transparent pricing and offering rapid access to healthcare.
The marketplace includes primary care physicians, specialists, labs, imaging centers and offers both virtual and in-person care.
The expanded partnership will include the option for a video consultation with a weight loss doctor or specialist, insurance coordination for prescription authorization, and unlimited messaging, nutrition and exercise guidance support.
The cost of medication and any required lab work costs are not included in the price of the program.
Key features of the program include access to a team of clinicians capable of prescribing weight loss medications, including options from the GLP-1 class such as Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy and Zepbound.
Costco members who receive a prescription through the program have the option to fill their medications at Costco pharmacies.
Prescriptions for GLP-1 medications will only be provided to clinically eligible patients, with a joint release from the companies stating the availability of these medications at the chosen pharmacy will be subject to supply constraints.
THE LARGER TREND
In September 2023, Costco and Sesame initiated their partnership for the retailer’s members, offering access to affordable healthcare services through Sesame’s marketplace, which included virtual primary care starting at $29, comprehensive health checkups encompassing lab work for $72 and virtual mental health therapy sessions available for $79.
In 2021, Sesame teamed up with Truepill, a digital health platform that offers pharmacy and telehealth services, to establish an online pharmacy called SesameRx.
The startup also recently completed two funding rounds as it expands its service offerings and reach, one in April 2021 totaling $24 million and another netting the company $27 million in a Series B round in June 2022.
