There are a lot of places in Palm Beach County that will write you a GLP-1 prescription. They are not the same as each other, and the differences are hard to see from a website.
Here's what actually separates them, and what to ask before you hand over a card.
1. Who is actually making the medical decisions?
"Physician-led" and "medically supervised" are marketing phrases with no fixed meaning. The question underneath them is specific: who evaluates you, who prescribes, and will you see that person again?
At some clinics a physician reviews a form. At others you meet one. At telehealth services you may never speak to anyone in real time.
None of these is automatically wrong — but you should know which one you're buying.
Ask: Who will I see at my first appointment? Who writes the prescription? Who do I see at follow-ups?
2. Is anyone board certified in obesity medicine?
Any licensed physician can prescribe a weight loss medication. Obesity medicine is a distinct board certification with its own training and examination, and relatively few physicians hold it.
It matters because obesity is a metabolic and hormonal condition with a large number of interacting causes. The prescribing is the easy part. Knowing what to do when the prescription isn't enough — plateaus, low response, interfering medications, undertreated thyroid or sleep apnea — is the part that requires the training.
Dr. Mark Amorosino is the only board-certified obesity medicine specialist in Palm Beach Gardens. He is also board certified in gastroenterology, which is unusual and relevant if endoscopic options ever enter the conversation.
Ask: Is anyone here board certified in obesity medicine?
3. Does the evaluation include actual medical workup?
A serious programme starts with a medical evaluation and blood work — not because it's a formality, but because what the labs show changes the plan. Thyroid function, blood sugar, lipids and a medication review all affect what will and won't work for you.
A clinic that will prescribe without any of that is selling you a prescription, not treating a condition.
Ask: What does the first appointment involve? Do you run labs before prescribing?
4. What happens when it stops working?
This is the question that separates programmes, and almost nobody asks it upfront.
Weight loss on medication plateaus. It is expected. What you want to know is whether the clinic has a plan for that moment: dose adjustment, switching agents, investigating what else is going on, or a structural option like endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty.
A clinic whose only answer is "stay on the medication" has one tool.
Ask: What happens if I plateau? What are the options after that?
5. What are the total costs — all of them?
Medical weight loss is usually self-pay. That's normal, and it's not a red flag on its own. Opaque pricing is.
You want the full picture: consultation, follow-up visits, labs, and medication — and whether medication is included or billed separately, because that's the line item that varies most.
Financing exists at many clinics, Palm Med included. Ask what it actually costs over the full term rather than per month.
Ask: What's the total monthly cost including medication? What's not included?
6. In person or telehealth?
Genuinely a matter of fit rather than a right answer.
Telehealth suits people who are self-directed, have straightforward medical histories, and value convenience and price above all.
In-person matters more if you have other conditions in play, if you've tried and stalled before, if you want your weight care coordinated with the rest of your health, or if you simply do better when someone is expecting you.
Ask yourself honestly which of those describes you. Both models fail the wrong patient.
Red flags worth walking away from
- Medication prescribed with no medical evaluation or labs.
- Compounded GLP-1s presented as equivalent to the branded medication. Compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide are not FDA-approved, and their quality and dosing accuracy vary by supplier.
- Guaranteed results, or a specific number of pounds promised. No one can promise this honestly.
- No follow-up cadence. Prescription without monitoring isn't treatment.
- Pressure to commit at the first visit, particularly to a long prepaid package.
The short version
The right question isn't "who has the best price." It's "who will still be useful to me in month eight?" — when the early loss has slowed, something needs adjusting, and you need somebody who can tell the difference between a plateau and a problem.
If you'd like to see what that looks like in practice, Palm Med Wellness is in Palm Beach Gardens, and consultations are in person with a physician.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does insurance cover medical weight loss?
Sometimes, and it varies more than almost any other area of medicine. Coverage differs by insurer, by individual plan within the same insurer, and by whether you're asking about the visits or the medication. Ask your plan two separate questions: whether it covers medical weight-loss visits, and whether it covers the specific medication by name. A clinic that will verify your benefits before you commit is worth choosing over one that won't.
What's the difference between a medical weight loss clinic and a med spa?
A medical weight loss clinic treats obesity as a medical condition — with workup, diagnosis, and ongoing management by a physician. A med spa primarily provides aesthetic services and may add weight-loss medication alongside them. Both can be legitimate. The question to ask either one is who makes the medical decisions and what their credentials are.
Do I need a referral to see a medical weight loss clinic?
Usually not for a self-pay practice. If you're hoping to use insurance benefits, your plan may require a referral or documentation of previous attempts, so it's worth checking before your first visit.
Is telehealth weight loss as good as in person?
It depends on what you need. Telehealth is convenient and can work well for straightforward cases. But it generally can't do a physical examination, body composition assessment, or in-office labs, and it's harder to manage alongside other conditions. If your situation involves a thyroid problem, sleep apnea, diabetes, or a plateau that needs investigating, in-person care has real advantages.
What should happen at a first medical weight loss appointment?
At minimum: a full medical history, current medications reviewed for ones that work against weight loss, relevant bloodwork, and a discussion of what you've already tried and what happened. If the first appointment is essentially a form and a prescription, that's a signal about the care that follows.
How much does medical weight loss cost?
It varies widely depending on whether medication is included, whether visits are bundled, and whether the practice charges a monthly programme fee. Ask for the total monthly cost including medication, not the headline visit price — those are frequently different numbers.
What does board certification in obesity medicine actually mean?
It's a separate certification requiring dedicated training and examination in the treatment of obesity, beyond a physician's primary specialty. It isn't required to prescribe weight-loss medication, which is precisely why it's a useful thing to ask about.
