A "free GLP-1 consultation" may mean there is no charge for the first conversation. It does not necessarily mean that medication, laboratory testing, delivery, follow-up visits, refill evaluations, dose changes, or ongoing support are included.
That does not automatically make the offer misleading. It does mean patients should understand what is included, what may cost extra, and whether the consultation is a meaningful clinical evaluation or primarily an entry point into a medication or membership sale.
Is a free GLP-1 consultation actually free?
The initial appointment may have a $0 visit fee, but the total cost of care can be higher. Before booking, ask for the price of medication, required laboratory work, follow-up care, refill evaluations, shipping or delivery, memberships, and late-cancellation or no-show fees.
What can "free consultation" mean?
Different providers use the phrase differently. A free consultation may include a brief eligibility screening, a longer clinical evaluation, a sales or onboarding conversation, or an appointment whose cost is recovered through medication or membership charges.
Patients should not assume that the word "free" describes the entire treatment relationship. The most useful comparison is the expected total cost over several months, not only the price of the first appointment.
Costs to confirm before booking
- Initial appointment
- Ask whether the first appointment is a clinical evaluation, an eligibility screening, or an informational call.
- Medication
- Ask for the expected medication price, who receives the payment, and whether the price may change by dose or formulation.
- Laboratory testing
- Ask whether laboratory work is required, where it is completed, and whether it is included.
- Follow-up visits
- Ask how often follow-up is required and what each visit costs.
- Refill evaluations
- Ask whether refill review is included or separately charged.
- Dose changes
- Ask whether a dose adjustment requires another paid clinical evaluation.
- Membership
- Ask whether enrollment is optional or required and how cancellation works.
- Pharmacy and delivery
- Ask which pharmacy fills the prescription and what dispensing, supply, shipping, or delivery charges apply.
- Cancellation and no-show fees
- Review the timing requirements and fee before accepting the booking terms.
Start with clear pricing and a clinical evaluation
Meet virtually with a Georgia-licensed clinician to discuss your medical history, goals, risks, and whether GLP-1 or other medical weight-management options may be appropriate.
Medication, pharmacy, laboratory, delivery, refill, and future-visit costs are separate. Treatment and prescriptions are based on clinical evaluation and are not guaranteed.
Nine questions patients should ask
What exactly does the free appointment include?
Ask whether you will meet with a licensed clinician, how long the appointment is expected to last, and whether the clinician will review your medical history, current medications, contraindications, relevant laboratory information, and treatment options.
Does the consultation guarantee a prescription?
It should not. A legitimate clinical evaluation can result in a prescription, a request for additional information or testing, a recommendation for another form of care, or a determination that treatment is not appropriate.
Is medication included in the advertised price?
Consultation and medication charges are usually separate unless the provider expressly states otherwise. Ask for the expected medication price and whether it changes by drug, dose, pharmacy, supply period, or delivery method.
Is the medication FDA-approved or compounded?
FDA-approved medications and compounded medications are not interchangeable categories. Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved, and the FDA does not review them for safety, effectiveness, or manufacturing quality before marketing in the same way it reviews approved drugs. A compounded medication may be considered when a clinician identifies a patient-specific medical need and its prescribing and dispensing are legally permissible. It should not be described as a generic version of, identical to, or clinically proven equivalent to an FDA-approved product.
Which pharmacy will fill the prescription?
Ask for the pharmacy's name, location, and licensing information. Confirm who will answer questions about the medication label, concentration, supplies, storage, delivery, and instructions for use. A telehealth provider may allow a pharmacy request, but the treating clinician may need to determine whether the pharmacy is reasonably acceptable for the prescribed medication and formulation.
What will follow-up and refills cost?
GLP-1 care can require monitoring, follow-up, laboratory review, refill evaluation, or changes to the care plan. Ask how frequently follow-up is expected and whether clinical questions, dose changes, and refill requests are included or billed separately.
Is a membership required?
Some programs require recurring enrollment. Others allow patients to pay for individual services. If a membership is offered, review the renewal date, included services, medication exclusions, cancellation method, refund terms, and what happens to unused benefits.
What happens if I cancel or miss the appointment?
A $0 appointment can still carry a late-cancellation or no-show fee. Review the applicable timing requirement and fee before booking.
Is the clinician licensed where I will be located?
Telehealth care generally depends on where the patient is physically located during the appointment. Georgia patients should confirm that the treating clinician is authorized to provide care in Georgia and that the service can address follow-up questions after the initial appointment.
Warning signs worth noticing
Patients should be cautious when a website:
- Guarantees a prescription or specific result
- Offers medication without a meaningful clinical screening
- Describes a compounded medication as FDA-approved, generic, identical to, or the same as an approved product
- Uses a price that appears unusually low without explaining medication, membership, laboratory, or follow-up costs
- Does not identify the dispensing pharmacy
- Provides unclear dosing or measurement instructions
- Makes it difficult to reach a licensed clinician with medication questions
- Hides recurring charges or cancellation terms until after enrollment
The FDA specifically advises patients to be cautious of telehealth companies that do not require screening and a prescription from a licensed clinician or that claim a compounded drug is the same as an FDA-approved drug.
How Kosius structures its public initial evaluation
Kosius charges $100 for its standard public Initial GLP-1 Evaluation. The fee pays for the clinician's evaluation and is not contingent on receiving a prescription.
Medication, pharmacy, laboratory, delivery, refill, and future-visit costs are separate unless expressly stated. Treatment recommendations and prescriptions depend on clinical evaluation and are not guaranteed.
Kosius currently provides telehealth clinical services only to adult patients physically located in Georgia at the time of care.
Frequently asked questions
Are free GLP-1 consultations always misleading?
No. A provider may legitimately waive the fee for an initial appointment. Patients should still confirm what the appointment includes and understand the separate costs of medication, laboratory work, delivery, follow-up care, refill evaluations, and any membership.
Does a free GLP-1 consultation include medication?
Not necessarily. Medication and pharmacy charges are usually separate unless the provider expressly states that they are included.
Why does Kosius charge $100 for its public initial evaluation?
The $100 fee covers the clinician's evaluation of the patient's history, goals, risks, and potential treatment options. Payment does not guarantee a prescription, medication, or particular outcome.
Does the Kosius $100 evaluation include medication or laboratory work?
No. Medication, pharmacy, laboratory, delivery, refill, and future-visit costs are separate unless expressly stated.
Can compounded medication be discussed?
A clinician may discuss compounded medication when it may meet an identified patient-specific medical need and when prescribing and dispensing are legally permissible. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved, and a prescription is not guaranteed.
Continue researching your options
Sources and further reading
- FDA: Concerns with Unapproved GLP-1 Drugs Used for Weight Loss
- Compounding and the FDA: Questions and Answers
- FDA: What to Know When Promoting Compounded Drugs
Last reviewed: August 2026
Start with clear pricing and a clinical evaluation
Meet virtually with a Georgia-licensed clinician to discuss your medical history, goals, risks, and whether GLP-1 or other medical weight-management options may be appropriate.
Medication, pharmacy, laboratory, delivery, refill, and future-visit costs are separate. Treatment and prescriptions are based on clinical evaluation and are not guaranteed.