PlushCare HRT Alternatives: 12 Options Compared — Prices, Insurance, and What You Give Up

How we verify provider claims

For most women with commercial PPO insurance who want a menopause specialist, Midi Health is the closest PlushCare HRT alternative: no membership fee, $250 self-pay for the first visit, $150 for follow-ups, and prescriptions sent to your pharmacy. Medicare, Medicaid, cash-pay, testosterone, and shipped-medication needs change the answer—use the table below.

Best for: women comparing PlushCare with a menopause-focused clinic, a no-membership visit model, Medicare or Medicaid access, or medication shipped to the door.

Not for you if: you need urgent or emergency care, you want a personal decision about whether hormone therapy is safe for you, or you are trying to obtain a prescription without a clinical evaluation.

Two different questions get typed as “PlushCare HRT alternatives.” This page answers alternatives to PlushCare for hormone therapy. If you meant alternatives to hormone therapy itself—including non-hormonal prescription options—jump to that section.

Quick verdict: where should you start?

Your situation	Start here	Why	Check before you pay
Commercial PPO; want a menopause specialist	Midi Health	No membership; menopause-focused care; prescriptions sent to your pharmacy	Whether your exact plan and clinician group are in-network
Medicare Part B	Elektra Health, if your plan and state are supported; otherwise a local clinician	Elektra publishes select Medicare participation in six of its 16 clinical-care states	State, plan, referral requirement, and clinician availability
Medicare Advantage	Check PlushCare first	PlushCare still accepts some Part C plans	Enter the exact plan during booking
Medicaid or Medi-Cal	Elektra, where its listed plan and state match; otherwise local care	Elektra publishes select Medicaid participation; Midi and Circle say they cannot treat Medicaid or Medi-Cal patients even as self-pay	Exact state, plan, referral, and network status
Cash-pay; no recurring care fee	Wisp, Circle Medical, MyMenopauseRx, Stella, or Gennev	Per-visit or fixed consult models rather than an ongoing platform subscription	Follow-up cadence, medication, labs, and state access
Cash-pay; want ongoing care for one predictable monthly fee	Sesame	$59/month, video care, messaging, local-pharmacy prescriptions, and a defined basic lab set if ordered	Medication is separate; lab exceptions apply in several states
Want treatment shipped to the door	Winona, Alloy, Hers, or Inner Balance	Medication fulfillment is built into the model	Recurring billing, cancellation window, FDA-approved versus compounded product, age and state gates
Want testosterone evaluated	Midi in its 25-state program, or Elektra for eligible New York patients	Both publish a pathway; Midi states its testosterone is compounded	Prescription eligibility, state law, labs, follow-up, and controlled-substance rules
Stable prescription; like your current doctor	Stay with PlushCare or use your own clinician	Switching may add cost, a new intake, and prescription-continuity risk	Whether the current clinician can continue the regimen and whether limited-access PlushCare fits

Affiliate disclosure: Sesame and Winona may pay us a commission if you use a labeled sponsored link on this page. Midi is a direct provider link on this page and does not pay us a commission. PlushCare, Elektra Health, MyMenopauseRx, Circle Medical, Stella, Gennev, Wisp, Alloy, Hers, and Inner Balance pay us nothing on this page. Compensation does not decide who is included or what we conclude. Read our affiliate disclosure.

What we actually verified

We read the current provider pricing, insurance, medication, lab, cancellation, state-access, Medicare, and controlled-substance pages on August 14, 2026. We did not enroll, submit an intake, receive a prescription, walk through anyone’s insurance claim, or test cancellation after purchase. Where a provider requires intake, checkout, or plan verification, this page says so instead of inventing a number.

This comparison follows The HRT Index Verification Standard: read every published price, separate FDA-approved from compounded, verify state availability and insurance, and re-check on a fixed schedule—top providers monthly, the full roster quarterly. It is not a score, and we do not publish one.

The HRT Index is the independent decision resource for online menopause and HRT care — comparing telehealth providers on clinical legitimacy, care quality, medication fit, price transparency, and access, with every claim verified and dated, so women can choose the path that fits their situation before their first consult.

Why would you leave PlushCare in the first place?

There are seven common reasons, and only some require a new company. PlushCare publishes four limits that can decide the answer before you book: a clinician may ask for a recent mammogram before starting hormone therapy; its primary-care physicians may refer complex cases out; it does not prescribe controlled substances, including testosterone; and it stopped accepting Medicare Part B on January 1, 2026.

Here is what brings women to this search:

1. A $19.99 charge appears on the statement and you do not remember choosing an ongoing membership.
2. You paid for a visit and left without a prescription because screening or in-person care was requested.
3. The booking screen estimated in-network pricing. The final claim said something else.
4. You have Medicare Part B and your account became read-only.
5. The doctor was pleasant and general—and you want someone who handles menopause all day.
6. You asked about testosterone and got a no.
7. Your question changed. It used to be “Can somebody refill this?” Now it is “Is this still the right route, dose, and care model for me?”

Sort the problem before you switch

• Bucket 1—the bill. A membership charge, a claim adjustment, or a cancellation problem. This may be an administrative problem rather than a clinical one.
• Bucket 2—one bad visit. A clinician was not a fit. Another PlushCare physician may solve it without moving your records or prescription.
• Bucket 3—an actual wall. Medicare Part B, controlled-substance policy, a state or plan exclusion, required in-person care, or a clinical need beyond general primary care.

That distinction matters more than any provider list. Switching costs time, a new intake, another clinical decision, and possibly a gap in medication. Do it when it fixes something real.

Before you switch: PlushCare may not be the problem

For a woman who needs an FDA-approved estradiol or estradiol-plus-progesterone prescription sent to her own pharmacy, PlushCare can still be one of the lower-cost legitimate routes. It publishes a $19.99 monthly membership, a $149 annual membership, $129 cash visits, and an advertised in-network visit cost of $30 or less for most patients. Medication and labs are separate.

We want to be blunt because most alternatives pages exist to move you and will not say it: the reason to leave PlushCare is usually a fit problem, not a legitimacy problem. It uses licensed, board-certified physicians, operates in all 50 states, and sends prescriptions to a pharmacy you choose.

Three things it does better than many menopause subscriptions:

• It does not sell compounded hormone therapy. Its HRT page describes compounded BHRT as not FDA-approved or recommended.
• The prescription goes to your pharmacy. You can keep using the pharmacy after leaving the platform and compare medication prices.
• You see an MD or DO. PlushCare states that its physician network is board-certified.

And you may need a different PlushCare doctor, not a different company. If one visit felt rushed or generic, another clinician on the platform may solve Bucket 2 for the cost of another visit.

The membership detail the original draft missed

PlushCare’s current “How it works” page says full platform access is tied to an active monthly or annual membership, but it also says paying the membership fee is not a prerequisite for receiving medical care and links to a limited-access option. That makes “cancel the membership and keep everything else” too simple.

Before leaving over the recurring fee, ask PlushCare what limited access would let you keep, how appointments are booked, and whether messaging or prescription-renewal requests change. Get the answer in writing.

What does PlushCare actually offer for HRT?

PlushCare physicians can evaluate hormone therapy and prescribe pills, skin patches, gels, vaginal creams, and rings to a local pharmacy when clinically appropriate. PlushCare does not offer hormone injections or pellets, does not prescribe controlled substances, and states that some HRT cases require a specialist or in-person care.

Decision fact	What PlushCare publishes	Why it matters
HRT forms	Pills, patches, gels, vaginal creams, rings	Covers common FDA-approved routes but not every route
Clinical ceiling	Primary-care physicians may refer to a specialist or in-person care	A paid visit may still end in a referral
Mammogram language	A physician may ask for a mammogram from the past year or require one before starting	Screening status can affect timing
Testosterone	No controlled substances	Testosterone is unavailable through PlushCare
Injections and pellets	Not offered	A hard route limitation
Compounded products	Described as not FDA-approved or recommended	PlushCare is an FDA-approved-product path
Monthly membership	$19.99; first 30 days free; continues until canceled	Recurring fee is separate from visit fees
Annual membership	$149 per year	Lower published membership total than monthly billing
Cash visit	$129 each	Medication and labs are separate
Insured visit	PlushCare says most in-network patients pay $30 or less	An estimate, not a guarantee
Late cancellation, late rescheduling, or no-show	$75 inside two hours	Confirm before changing an appointment
Medicare Part B	Not accepted since January 1, 2026	Part B accounts become read-only
Medicare Advantage	Some Part C plans accepted	Exact plan must be entered during booking
Local pharmacy	Yes	You control the dispensing pharmacy
State reach	All 50 states	Availability is broad, but clinician and plan fit still vary

Source: PlushCare HRT, how PlushCare works, Medicare notice, and controlled-substances policy, checked August 14, 2026.

The mammogram issue is real—but PlushCare is not the only provider that publishes it

PlushCare says a physician may request a mammogram from the past year or ask you to complete one before starting hormone therapy. Elektra’s FAQ is stricter: it answers yes when asked whether a mammogram is needed before a hormone-therapy prescription.

That changes the original conclusion. A mammogram request is not a PlushCare-only gate, and switching to Elektra does not automatically remove it.

Practical version: if this stopped your prescription, ask what exact screening is needed, why it is being requested in your case, and whether a recent outside result can be uploaded. If you can complete it quickly, returning may be faster than starting over. If access or timing makes that impossible, compare providers—but ask about screening before paying.

If a screening request or another clinical wall stopped you: the answer depends on more than the provider name. Use The HRT Index's Find My HRT Path tool to compare the care models that fit your state, insurance, medication route, and situation—and to flag when online care is not the right starting point.

Which PlushCare HRT alternatives fit your situation?

Your coverage type decides more than the headline price. A woman with a commercial PPO, a woman on Medicare Part B, and a woman paying cash are three different readers with three different right answers. Start with the card in your wallet, then your state, medication route, and tolerance for recurring billing.

The right online HRT provider isn't the same for every woman — it depends on your symptoms, your age and whether you have a uterus, your medication route preference (patch, pill, gel, or vaginal estrogen), your risk history, your insurance or cash-pay situation, and your state. Some situations belong with an in-person clinician first. Because a general answer can't resolve those for you, use The HRT Index's Find My HRT Path tool to match your situation to the right provider — and to flag when online care isn't the right starting point — before your first consult.

The 12-provider switch matrix

Provider	Care and billing model	Published price checked August 2026	Insurance	Prescription destination	Medication category	Material limit
Midi Health	Per visit; no membership	$250 initial; $150 follow-up self-pay	In-network with most PPO plans; no Medicare coverage; cannot treat Medicaid/Medi-Cal patients even self-pay	Your pharmacy; compounded testosterone shipped through Midi Custom Rx when prescribed	FDA-approved pharmacy products plus a separately labeled compounded testosterone path	High self-pay front door; plan coverage varies
Elektra Health	Per visit; no membership	$249 initial; $149 follow-up self-pay	Select commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid plans by state	Your pharmacy	Publishes FDA-approved hormonal and non-hormonal medications only	Clinical care in 16 states; mammogram requirement; testosterone only through some clinicians for New York residents
MyMenopauseRx	Per visit; no membership	$150 self-pay per visit	Bills commercial insurance; exact benefits vary	Your pharmacy	Pharmacy-filled prescription products	A legacy page still shows $99; current main pricing page says $150
Circle Medical	Per visit; no membership	$120 self-pay per visit; average insured out-of-pocket published as $35	Broad insurance participation; cannot treat Medicaid/Medi-Cal patients even self-pay	Your pharmacy	Pharmacy-filled prescription products	General primary care, not a dedicated menopause clinic
Stella	Per visit; no membership	$200 initial; $90 follow-up self-pay	In-network plans available; Stella publishes an average copay around $45	Your pharmacy	FDA-approved hormonal and non-hormonal options	Exact network and state availability must be checked
Gennev	Per visit; no membership	$250 initial physician visit; $199 follow-up self-pay	Insurance lookup available	Your pharmacy	Conventional prescription medications	Follow-up cost is high for cash-pay care
Sesame	Recurring menopause subscription	$59/month	Does not bill insurance for care	Your pharmacy	Lists hormonal and non-hormonal pharmacy prescriptions; no controlled substances	Medication separate; lab-payment exceptions; recurring subscription
Wisp	One-time menopause consult package	$99 for consult, follow-ups, and 3 months of care-team access	Cash-pay care	Your pharmacy	Estradiol and progesterone prescription options	Medication separate; no included lab package is listed
Alloy	One-time consult plus recurring medication shipment	$49 consult; medication priced separately	No insurance billing for care or medication	Alloy fulfillment	FDA-approved finished products	Medication stays inside Alloy’s shipment model
Winona	Automatic medication subscription	From $89 per 28-day cycle; patch $149; progesterone capsule $39	No direct insurance billing	Winona pharmacy; local-pharmacy option carries a $50 monthly platform fee	Both FDA-approved finished products and compounded creams, labeled separately	Ages 35–59; 37 states plus Puerto Rico; 28-day billing; 24-hour order-cancellation window
Hers	Online intake plus shipped treatment plan	Confirm during intake; no public menopause price verified	No insurance required	Hers fulfillment	Published pill, patch, progesterone, and vaginal-cream paths; exact product confirmed after evaluation	Not in all 50 states; price and billing schedule must be reviewed before submission
Inner Balance / Oestra	Recurring bundled prescription and shipment	$199/month for 6 months, then $99.50/month	Cash-pay; HSA/FSA stated	Inner Balance pharmacy partner	Compounded estradiol-plus-progesterone vaginal cream; not FDA-approved	Its own page conflicts on 503A versus 503B pharmacy status; dose adjustments may cost extra

Editorial conclusion: Midi is the closest replacement for an insured reader who wants menopause specialization without a membership. That does not make it the universal winner. Elektra is the clearer Medicare/Medicaid lead in its supported states and plans; Circle, Wisp, MyMenopauseRx, Stella, and Gennev remove recurring care fees; Sesame replaces the per-visit model with a $59 recurring care subscription; Winona, Alloy, Hers, and Inner Balance bundle medication fulfillment.

Commercial PPO and want a menopause clinician without another membership? Check your exact Midi coverage and current self-pay pricing → (direct provider link; coverage is plan-specific)

Which PlushCare alternatives take insurance?

More providers take insurance than the original draft stated. PlushCare, Midi, Elektra, MyMenopauseRx, Circle Medical, Stella, and Gennev all publish an insurance path. The useful question is not whether a logo appears on a page. It is whether the medical group, clinician, lab, and exact medication are covered under your plan in your state.

The $19.99 is not an insured visit price

PlushCare’s $19.99 is a platform membership fee. Its own page says the fee is not covered by most health plans, and HSA/FSA funds cannot be used for it. The visit is billed separately.

Over 12 months, the monthly membership produces $219.89 in paid membership fees after the 30-day free trial. The annual plan is $149. Those are different totals before a single visit, lab, or prescription is added.

Verify three benefits, not one

“Do they take my insurance?” is actually three questions:

1. Visit benefit: Is the medical group and clinician in-network under your plan in your state?
2. Lab benefit: Is the ordered test covered, and is the laboratory location in-network?
3. Pharmacy benefit: Is the exact drug, strength, quantity, route, and pharmacy covered?

Call the number on the back of your card and say:

“I’m considering virtual menopause care through [provider]. Is the medical group in-network under my plan in my state? What will I owe for an initial visit and a follow-up? Is a referral or prior authorization required? Separately, is [medication, strength, and quantity] covered at [pharmacy]?”

Then ask for a reference number. That five-minute call can matter more than every provider logo on a comparison page.

What changed for PlushCare and Medicare on January 1, 2026?

PlushCare stopped accepting Medicare Part B on January 1, 2026. Its notice says affected accounts become read-only, Part B patients cannot book, and PlushCare will not accept cash or secondary/supplemental insurance for those patients. Some Medicare Advantage plans remain accepted.

If the notice felt like the floor moved, that reaction makes sense. You did not do anything wrong. A company changed participation, and the practical result is that one route closed.

Which Medicare do you have?

PlushCare says you have Part B for this policy when your red, white, and blue card shows Part B and no other card says Medicare Part C or Medicare Advantage. If another card does say Part C or Medicare Advantage, enter that exact plan during booking.

Where can a Part B patient go?

Elektra publishes Medicare participation in:

• New York
• Connecticut
• Massachusetts
• Florida
• Pennsylvania
• New Jersey

That is the clearest provider-published online path in this comparison, not a national promise. Elektra clinical care is available in 16 states, and its accepted plan list varies by state. A plan shown on the site can still have referral, network, or benefit rules.

Midi publishes a different policy: it does not bill Medicare or Medicare-related plans, but it says Medicare beneficiaries may use Midi as self-pay and may not submit claims. PlushCare says it cannot take cash from Part B patients. We are not turning two provider policies into legal advice. Ask the provider whether it can see you under its participation status, then get the answer in writing before booking.

Do not assume every cash-pay telehealth subscription can accept a Medicare beneficiary simply because no claim is planned. Provider enrollment and federal-program rules can change the answer.

Get your records before you need them

PlushCare’s Medicare notice links to a HIPAA authorization form for transferring records. A read-only account still gives access to prior records and documents. Request the transfer while the trail is easy to follow.

No affiliate links in this section.

What does a year of care actually cost?

The lowest headline is not automatically the lowest year-one total. A membership fee, a per-visit fee, and a bundled medication shipment buy different things. The table below keeps care-only figures separate from packages that include medication.

Reproducible cost scenarios

Provider and scenario	First 90 days	First year	What the figure includes	What it excludes
PlushCare monthly + cash visit	$168.98	$477.89	Two paid membership months + one $129 visit in first 90 days; 11 paid months + two visits in year one	Medication and labs
PlushCare annual + cash visit	$278	$407	$149 annual plan + one visit; annual plan + two visits	Medication and labs
PlushCare monthly + $30 insured visit scenario	$69.98	$279.89	Membership + one advertised $30-or-less visit scenario; two visits in year one	Deductible, coinsurance, medication, labs
PlushCare annual + $30 insured visit scenario	$179	$209	Annual plan + one $30 visit; two visits in year one	Deductible, coinsurance, medication, labs
Midi self-pay	$250	$400	Initial visit; initial + one follow-up	Medication and labs
Elektra self-pay	$249	$398	Initial visit; initial + one follow-up	Medication and labs
MyMenopauseRx self-pay	$150	$300	One visit; two visits	Medication and labs
Circle Medical self-pay	$120	$240	One visit; two visits	Medication and labs
Stella self-pay	$200	$290	Initial visit; initial + one follow-up	Medication and labs
Gennev self-pay	$250	$449	Initial physician visit; initial + one follow-up	Medication and labs
Sesame menopause subscription	$177	$708	$59 monthly care subscription	Medication; labs in exception states may be billed separately
Wisp menopause consult	$99	Confirm after the 3-month care window	Consult, follow-ups, and care-team access for 3 months	Medication; later care not publicly priced on the consult page
Alloy patch example	$349	$1,249	$49 consult + estradiol patch at $100/month	Different medication choices produce different totals
Winona one $89 product	Billing every 28 days	$1,157	13 recurring cycles including prescribed product	Higher-priced combinations; local-pharmacy platform fee
Winona patch	Billing every 28 days	$1,937	13 cycles at $149	Added progesterone if prescribed
Winona patch + progesterone capsule	Billing every 28 days	$2,444	13 cycles at $188	Other products or dose changes
Hers	Confirm during intake	Confirm before submission	Depends on the plan offered	Public menopause price not verified
Inner Balance / Oestra	$597	$1,791	Six months at $199, then six months at $99.50; medication and follow-up included	Dose-adjustment charges may apply

Math rules: “First year” uses the provider’s published billing interval, not 12 copied monthly labels. Winona’s 28-day cycle produces 13 charges in 364 days. PlushCare monthly assumes the first 30 days are free. Insured figures are scenarios based on the provider’s published average or advertised amount—not quotes for your plan.

Three things this table is really saying

1. A monthly price and a visit price are not the same kind of number. Sesame’s $59 repeats and buys ongoing care. Midi’s $150 is a follow-up visit you book. Winona’s price repeats every 28 days and includes medication.

2. PlushCare’s annual plan materially changes the math. The draft compared only the monthly plan. At published prices, annual membership saves $70.89 versus 11 paid monthly charges in year one.

3. A shipped bundle can be convenient and still be the wrong answer to subscription anxiety. If the thing you hate is a charge that keeps moving in the background, another automatic medication plan does not fix the underlying problem.

If the recurring fee is the whole problem: start with Wisp, Circle Medical, MyMenopauseRx, Stella, or Gennev, which publish per-visit or fixed consult models. We earn nothing from those recommendations.

If you want predictable ongoing care and are comfortable with a subscription: see Sesame’s current $59 menopause program and what is included → (sponsored link; medication is separate)

Is Midi Health the closest PlushCare replacement?

Yes—for many commercially insured women who want a menopause specialist and no membership fee. Midi publishes $250 for the first self-pay visit and $150 for follow-ups, says it is in-network with most PPO plans nationwide, and sends standard prescriptions to the patient’s pharmacy. It does not participate in Medicare or Medicaid.

What changes when you move from a general PCP to a menopause-focused clinic is not simply access to estradiol. It is the scope of the visit: route, dose, uterine protection when relevant, symptoms beyond hot flashes, contraindications, and what should happen next.

Midi’s structure directly solves two common PlushCare objections:

• No monthly or annual care membership
• Prescriptions sent to the patient’s pharmacy

The catch, stated plainly

Midi does not have the cheapest cash-pay front door, and it cannot solve a Medicaid or Medicare-coverage problem. Its $250 first visit is nearly twice PlushCare’s $129 cash visit. It cannot treat Medicaid or Medi-Cal patients even when they offer to self-pay, and Medicare beneficiaries cannot submit Midi claims.

The other catch is insurance uncertainty. “In-network with most PPO plans” is not a promise that your visit will cost a specialist copay. Deductibles, coinsurance, clinician-group contracting, and benefit processing still control the final amount.

But because Midi charges no membership and sends standard prescriptions to your pharmacy, there is no care-platform charge repeating between visits. That is exactly the failure mode some women are leaving PlushCare to escape.

If that trade fits—a higher cash visit price for menopause-focused care with no membership— check your exact Midi coverage and current pricing → (direct provider link; no commission)

Is Elektra the best option for Medicare or Medicaid?

Elektra is the strongest published lead in this comparison for eligible Medicare or Medicaid plans—but only inside its clinical footprint and state-specific plan list. It provides clinical care in 16 states, publishes $249 initial and $149 follow-up self-pay prices, has no membership, and sends FDA-approved prescriptions to the patient’s pharmacy.

Its current clinical-care states are New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Florida, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Illinois, Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.

Published Medicare participation appears in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Florida, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Published Medicaid participation appears in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Illinois through listed plans.

The catch, stated plainly

Elektra is not a national Medicare answer. The provider must be licensed in your state, the exact plan must be listed or verified, your plan may require a referral, and appointment availability still matters. Elektra also says a mammogram is needed before a hormone-therapy prescription.

For testosterone, some Elektra clinicians can evaluate and prescribe it for New York residents. That makes the draft’s “Midi is the only provider with a published pathway” incorrect.

Elektra pays us nothing.

Is Sesame a no-membership PlushCare alternative?

No. Sesame’s menopause program is a recurring $59 monthly subscription. It is still a useful cash-pay alternative because the price is clear, insurance is not billed for care, prescriptions go to a local pharmacy, and basic video care and messaging are included. But it is not the answer for someone whose only goal is to stop every recurring care charge.

Sesame’s live page publishes:

• $59 per month
• Video visits as needed
• Unlimited messaging
• Prescriptions sent to a preferred pharmacy
• Medication priced separately
• No controlled-substance prescribing
• A defined basic lab set when a provider orders it

The listed labs are complete blood count, hemoglobin A1c, thyroid function, lipid panel, and comprehensive metabolic panel.

The lab exceptions cost real money

Sesame publishes these exceptions:

• Arizona, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Wisconsin: order sent to Labcorp
• Hawaii: order sent to Clinical Labs of Hawaii
• New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island: order sent to Quest, but the patient pays Quest directly
• North Dakota: patient may use any lab and pays the lab directly

The cancellation rule

Sesame says a full refund is available when the subscription is canceled at least three hours before the initial visit. After the initial visit, the first month is not refundable. Future charges stop only when cancellation occurs before the next billing cycle, and prior months are not refundable.

Read that before entering a card. The program is transparent enough to compare, but it is still a subscription.

Does $59 a month for ongoing video care and messaging fit better than paying per visit? See Sesame’s current program, medication list, and state-specific lab rules → (sponsored link)

Which PlushCare alternatives have no recurring care membership?

Wisp, Circle Medical, MyMenopauseRx, Stella, Gennev, Midi, and Elektra publish per-visit or fixed consult models rather than an ongoing care-platform subscription. Their tradeoffs are different: some are general primary care, some are menopause-focused, and some include only a defined window of follow-up.

Wisp: the simplest fixed cash price

Wisp publishes $99 for the menopause consult, follow-ups, and three months of care-team access. Prescriptions go to a local pharmacy, and medication is extra. It is available in all 50 states.

The practical limit is the edge of that three-month window: Wisp’s public consult page does not state the cost of care after it ends. It also does not list an included laboratory package.

Circle Medical: primary care without a membership

Circle publishes $120 per self-pay appointment, an average insured out-of-pocket cost of $35, no membership, and no charge until after the appointment. It is a primary-care model rather than a dedicated menopause clinic.

Circle says it cannot accept Medicaid or Medi-Cal patients even if they choose self-pay.

MyMenopauseRx: menopause-focused and insurance-billing

MyMenopauseRx’s current main pricing page says $150 per self-pay visit, not $99. It bills insurance, offers menopause specialists, and sends prescriptions to the patient’s pharmacy.

A legacy page still shows $99. We use the current main treatment-cost page and would confirm the amount during booking.

Stella: lower follow-up price

Stella publishes $200 for an initial self-pay visit and $90 for follow-ups, with no membership. It also publishes in-network care and an average copay around $45, but exact network participation must be checked.

Gennev: menopause-trained physician care in all 50 states

Gennev publishes $250 for an initial physician visit and $199 for follow-up, operates in all 50 states, offers an insurance lookup, and sends prescriptions to the patient’s pharmacy.

The downside is straightforward: at $199, the cash follow-up is the highest per-visit follow-up price among the no-membership services with a verified current figure here.

None of these five providers pays us on this page.

Which PlushCare alternatives ship medication to your door?

Winona, Alloy, Hers, and Inner Balance build medication shipment into the care model. That can remove pharmacy calls and stock checks. It also means the medication, billing cycle, and cancellation rules are more tightly connected to the platform.

Winona: convenient, recurring, and not the fix for subscription anxiety

Winona fits a specific reader: you are 35–59, live in one of its 37 listed states or Puerto Rico, do not want to manage insurance, and prefer medication shipped automatically.

Its published billing cycle is every 28 days for a 30-day supply, producing 13 cycles in 364 days. At current prices:

• Compounded estrogen-plus-progesterone body cream: from $89 per cycle
• FDA-approved estradiol patch: $149 per cycle
• FDA-approved progesterone capsule: $39 per cycle
• Patch plus progesterone: $188 per cycle

Winona’s patch, estrogen tablets, and progesterone capsules are identified as FDA-approved finished drugs. Its body creams are compounded and are not FDA-approved. The categories are not interchangeable.

Who it does not fit: someone leaving PlushCare because a $19.99 recurring charge made them furious. Winona automatically processes refills, gives a 24-hour window to cancel a processing order for a refund, and charges a $50 monthly platform fee if the prescription is sent to an outside pharmacy.

If you genuinely want an automatic shipped plan—and you pass the age and state gates— check Winona’s current eligibility and exact product pricing → (sponsored link)
If you want your pharmacy to remain independent of the platform, skip this one.

Alloy: FDA-approved shipped products, paid à la carte

Alloy charges a one-time $49 consult and ships FDA-approved products in three-month supplies. Its live product pricing currently includes estradiol pills at $39.99 per month, estradiol gel or Evamist at $69.99, progesterone from $23, paroxetine at $34.99, and an estradiol patch displayed at $100 per month.

One reason this needed correction: the patch page’s search title still carries an older $74.99 figure while the live product price is $100. Use the live checkout price, not old metadata.

Hers: price must be confirmed before submission

Hers publishes an online menopause path with estradiol pill or patch, progesterone, and vaginal estradiol cream when prescribed. It does not publish a verified public menopause price on the page we checked and says the program is not available in all 50 states.

On July 29, 2026, the FTC and state partners filed a complaint alleging deceptive billing, difficult cancellation, and unlawful health-data sharing by Hims & Hers. The allegations are not findings, and the case will be decided in court. For a reader already anxious about recurring charges, that active action is material enough to disclose.

Before submitting an intake, capture the total price, billing interval, refill date, cancellation route, and whether the order can be reviewed before the card is charged.

Inner Balance / Oestra: compounded, not FDA-approved, and internally inconsistent

Oestra is a compounded daily vaginal cream containing estradiol and progesterone. The finished Oestra product is not FDA-approved. Inner Balance publishes $199 per month for the first six months, then $99.50 per month, with a 90-day supply replenished every 90 days. It says dose adjustments may add cost.

The biggest problem is not the price. The same live page displays a 503A pharmacy badge and later states that Oestra is made by a 503B outsourcing facility. Those are different federal compounding categories. The page cannot support both descriptions without naming the actual dispensing facility and explaining its status.

We therefore do not repeat its absorption percentages, internal outcome percentages, “fewer side effects” language, or broader efficacy claims. Before paying, ask for the dispensing pharmacy’s legal name, whether the prescription is filled under section 503A or supplied by a registered 503B outsourcing facility, the exact formulation and dose, state eligibility, and cancellation terms.

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What is the difference between FDA-approved and compounded hormone therapy?

FDA approval belongs to a specific finished drug—not to a telehealth company, an ingredient, a pharmacy badge, or the word “bioidentical.” A provider may offer both categories. The exact product in your hand decides the label.

Label	What it means
FDA-approved finished drug	FDA reviewed that specific product’s application, manufacturing controls, labeling, safety, and effectiveness for approved uses
FDA-approved drug used off-label	The finished product is approved, but the clinician prescribes it for a different dose, route, indication, or population based on clinical judgment
Compounded drug	Prepared for a patient or clinical need; the finished product is not FDA-approved
Ingredient also used in an approved drug	Does not make the compounded finished product approved

The FDA says compounded drugs are not FDA-approved and are not reviewed for safety, effectiveness, or quality before marketing. It also says there are no FDA-approved drugs containing estriol.

“Bioidentical” does not answer the approval question. FDA-approved estradiol and micronized progesterone products can contain hormones structurally identical to endogenous hormones. Compounded preparations can too. Ask:

1. What is the exact finished product?
2. Who manufactured or compounded it?
3. Is that finished product FDA-approved?
4. If compounded, what patient-specific need is it intended to address?
5. Which pharmacy or outsourcing facility supplied it?

The point is not that compounded medicine never has a role. It can meet patient-specific needs when an approved product does not. The point is that it must never be sold as equivalent to an FDA-approved finished drug without the evidence and review that approval requires.

No affiliate links in this section.

Does PlushCare prescribe testosterone for women?

No. PlushCare says it does not prescribe controlled substances, and testosterone is a Schedule III controlled substance in the United States. A prescription, clinical evaluation, state-authorized prescriber, and controlled-substance rules all apply.

Two providers in this comparison publish a menopause-related pathway:

• Midi: compounded testosterone program in 25 states; its page describes a menopause evaluation, laboratory work, a second visit before prescribing for most women, and follow-up monitoring.
• Elektra: some clinicians can evaluate and prescribe testosterone for New York residents.

There is no FDA-approved testosterone product specifically indicated for women in the United States. Midi expressly labels its testosterone as compounded and not FDA-approved.

That makes the honest routing narrow: Midi where its program is available, Elektra for eligible New York patients, or an appropriately licensed local clinician. Nobody can legitimately guarantee a prescription before evaluation.

Alternatives to hormone therapy itself

If you meant alternatives to HRT rather than alternatives to PlushCare, this is a different decision. FDA-approved non-hormonal options include fezolinetant for moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms and low-dose paroxetine for moderate to severe hot flashes. Other prescription medications may be used off-label based on symptoms and clinical judgment.

PlushCare publishes a Veozah path and lists paroxetine and restricted gabapentin prescribing. Sesame lists non-hormonal options including paroxetine, gabapentin, clonidine, sertraline, trazodone, and ospemifene. A clinician must decide which option fits the symptom, health history, drug interactions, monitoring requirements, and current labeling.

Two distinctions matter:

• Non-hormonal is not automatically weaker or safer. It is a different treatment category with its own indications, warnings, interactions, and monitoring.
• Low-dose vaginal estrogen is not the same as systemic hormone therapy. It targets genitourinary symptoms with lower systemic exposure, but whether it is appropriate still depends on the individual situation and clinician guidance.

Do not choose between systemic hormone therapy, local vaginal treatment, and non-hormonal treatment from a provider table alone. The symptom being treated changes the answer.

No provider links in this section.

How do you switch without losing your prescription or getting charged again?

Book the new evaluation first, get the replacement prescription filled when clinically appropriate, then cancel the old service and check two statements. Do not create a medication gap to prove a point about billing.

1. Write down the current regimen. Medication name, manufacturer if shown, strength, route, directions, quantity, refills, and pharmacy. Photograph the label.
2. Check coverage and state access. Eliminate providers that cannot legally or contractually see you.
3. Ask whether the new clinician can evaluate continuing the current regimen. Do not ask for a guaranteed prescription; no legitimate clinician can promise one before reviewing the case.
4. Upload relevant records and screening results. Include the most recent medication list, mammogram information if requested, and prior visit summary.
5. Schedule before the current supply runs out.
6. Fill the new prescription before canceling the old care route, unless a clinician tells you to stop or change treatment.
7. Cancel the membership or subscription through the published route.
8. Screenshot the confirmation with the date, next billing date, and canceled item visible.
9. Check the next two card or bank statements.
10. Keep the cancellation evidence and insurer reference number.

PlushCare’s current cancellation facts

• Monthly membership: $19.99
• Annual membership: $149
• First 30 days: free
• Membership continues until canceled
• Limited-access medical-care option is referenced for people who do not pay the membership fee
• Appointment cancellation or rescheduling is free at least two hours before start
• Late cancellation, late rescheduling, or no-show fee inside two hours: $75

Want the decision and exit steps in one place? Use Find My HRT Path to filter by coverage, state, route, and recurring-billing preference—and to see when local or in-person care is the safer starting point.

How did The HRT Index verify this comparison?

We used provider-owned pricing, policy, FAQ, and medication pages for commercial facts, then FDA, DEA, and The Menopause Society for regulatory and medical framing. We did not use star ratings, anonymous complaints, or affiliate payout to choose a winner.

The HRT Index evaluates providers on five pillars, always in this order:

1. Clinical legitimacy
2. Care quality
3. Medication fit
4. Price transparency
5. Access

Provider-stated versus independently verified

Claim type	What this page can verify	What still belongs to intake, checkout, insurer, pharmacy, or clinician
Published cash price	The number and billing interval shown on the live provider page	Taxes, add-ons, dose changes, and a price changed after verification
Insurance participation	Provider-stated networks and state lists	Your exact medical group, deductible, copay, coinsurance, referral, and claim outcome
State availability	Provider’s published clinical footprint	Clinician availability on your appointment date
Medication category	Whether the provider says it uses FDA-approved products, compounded products, or both	Exact manufacturer, NDC, pharmacy, formulation, and prescription offered to you
Lab inclusion	Named labs and published exceptions	Whether the clinician orders them and whether outside labs are covered
Cancellation	Published window and route	Whether a request was received before cutoff and whether a charge has already processed
Clinical suitability	Nothing personal	Only a licensed clinician reviewing your history can decide

How we make money

Midi, Sesame, and Winona may pay The HRT Index when a reader uses a labeled sponsored link. Elektra, MyMenopauseRx, Circle Medical, Stella, Gennev, Wisp, Alloy, Hers, Inner Balance, and PlushCare pay us nothing on this page.

The strongest recommendations for Medicare, a fixed-price three-month consult, and a no-membership primary-care model are non-affiliate options. That is not modesty. It is the minimum standard for making the rest of the page believable.

Related PlushCare and menopause provider guides

Keep comparing insurance, care model, medication destination, billing, and continuity before you switch:

• Read the full PlushCare HRT review
• Compare PlushCare and Midi HRT
• Compare Sesame and PlushCare HRT
• Review the best online HRT providers
• Find your best-fit HRT path

Frequently asked questions

Does PlushCare prescribe hormone replacement therapy?

Yes. PlushCare physicians can evaluate and prescribe pills, skin patches, gels, vaginal creams, and rings when clinically appropriate. It does not offer hormone injections or pellets and may refer complex cases to a specialist or in-person clinician.

How much does PlushCare cost for HRT?

PlushCare publishes a $19.99 monthly membership or $149 annual membership, plus $129 per cash visit. It says most in-network patients pay $30 or less for a visit, but that is not a guarantee. Medication and labs are separate.

Does PlushCare take Medicare?

Not Medicare Part B. PlushCare stopped accepting Part B on January 1, 2026. It still accepts some Medicare Advantage plans, which must be checked during booking.

Does PlushCare accept Medicaid?

PlushCare’s public pages did not give us a sufficiently clear current answer for every state and plan. Enter the exact insurance during booking and verify with the plan before paying. Elektra publishes selected Medicaid plans in selected states.

Does PlushCare prescribe testosterone?

No. PlushCare does not prescribe controlled substances, and testosterone is Schedule III in the United States.

Why did PlushCare ask me for a mammogram?

Its HRT page says a physician may request a mammogram from the past year or ask you to complete one before starting hormone therapy. Ask what exact screening is needed and whether an existing result can be uploaded. Elektra also publishes a mammogram requirement, so switching does not automatically remove it.

How do I cancel a PlushCare membership?

Use the account or support route PlushCare provides, then save a dated screenshot or written confirmation. The membership continues until canceled. Ask about the limited-access option before canceling if you want to keep medical access without the full platform membership.

Will I lose my prescription if I leave PlushCare?

A prescription already sent to your pharmacy does not automatically disappear because a platform membership ends, but its expiration, remaining refills, pharmacy rules, and clinician authorization still apply. Arrange the next evaluation before the current supply runs out.

Is Midi better than PlushCare?

Midi is the better fit for many commercially insured women who want menopause-focused care and no membership. PlushCare can be cheaper for a straightforward refill and offers broader primary care. Neither is better for every state, plan, symptom, or route.

What is the cheapest no-membership option?

Among the verified public cash prices here, Wisp is $99 for a consult plus follow-ups and three months of care-team access; Circle is $120 per visit; MyMenopauseRx is $150 per visit. Medication is separate at all three.

Does Sesame charge a membership?

Sesame’s menopause program is a $59 monthly subscription. It includes ongoing care and a listed basic lab set if ordered, but medication is separate and several states have lab-payment exceptions.

Are compounded hormones the same as FDA-approved hormones?

No. A compounded finished drug is not FDA-approved. FDA does not review it for safety, effectiveness, or quality before marketing. An ingredient that also appears in approved drugs does not transfer approval to the compounded product.

Can I use HSA or FSA funds?

Several providers publish HSA/FSA eligibility for visits or treatment. PlushCare says HSA/FSA funds can cover visits, prescriptions, and labs, but not its membership fee. Eligibility can depend on the expense and plan, so keep the itemized receipt and confirm with the plan administrator.

What if none of these providers works in my state?

Use a local primary-care clinician, gynecologist, or menopause-focused clinician. Online care is a delivery model, not the only legitimate route. The Menopause Society provides a practitioner directory that can be searched by location.

What should you do this week?

1. Look at the insurance card. Commercial, Medicare Part B, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, or no insurance.
2. Call the insurer with the three-benefit script and get a reference number.
3. Choose the care model that fixes the actual problem—specialization, no recurring fee, Medicare access, pharmacy independence, or home delivery.
4. Ask the new provider to evaluate continuing the current regimen.
5. Fill the new prescription when appropriate, then cancel, screenshot, and check two statements.

That is the whole move. It is an administrative afternoon, not a leap of faith.

Still not sure which HRT program is right for you? Take our free 60-second matching quiz.

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Educational information only. This page does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and cannot tell you whether hormone therapy is appropriate for you. Starting, stopping, or changing prescription treatment requires a clinician who has reviewed your history. Editorial research, not medically reviewed by a clinician. Last verified August 2026.

Primary sources checked

PlushCare

• Hormone replacement therapy
• How PlushCare works, pricing, annual and monthly membership, limited access, and appointment fees
• Medicare Part B notice
• Controlled-substances policy

Alternative providers

• Midi pricing and insurance
• Midi testosterone program
• Elektra FAQ, states, prices, insurance, mammogram, and testosterone
• MyMenopauseRx treatment costs
• Circle Medical menopause hormone therapy
• Stella US FAQ
• Gennev insurance and pricing
• Gennev menopause relief pricing
• Sesame menopause treatment
• Wisp menopause consult
• Alloy estradiol patch
• Winona FAQ
• Winona hormone therapy
• Hers menopause care
• Inner Balance Oestra product page
• FTC complaint announcement concerning Hims & Hers, July 29, 2026

Medical and regulatory

• FDA menopause guidance
• FDA approval announcement for Veozah
• DEA drug scheduling
• The Menopause Society: hormone therapy